All I want is this
by McGrey'sAnatomy
Summary: Mark Sloan hated women. Something like that would have caused a massive laugh between those who knew him, but today, after 3 years, it was true and everybody knew it. The only female who was still in his graces was the 4 year old girl. His little girl.
1. I love you, angel!

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Grey's characters and neither the lyrics from Reamon's song- Super girl.**

**N/A:**** This idea has just popped into my head and I had to write it down. As I did it, many ideas came into my mind so this is going to be a new fanfiction about Meredith and Mark. **

**--**

**Chapter 1- I love you, angel!**

Mark Sloan hated women.

Something like this would have caused a massive laugh between those who knew him, but today, after 3 years, it was true and everybody knew it. The only female who was still in his graces was the four year old girl. His little girl.

What had caused him the disinclination to welcome love into his life you might ask? Natasha was her name. She was the first woman who made Mark Sloan, the notorious womanizer settle down to one woman. They never got married, but they lived together for two years. After just one year, Alicia showed up in their life taking everyone by surprise. Neither of them thought about having a baby and nobody would have believed that they would agree to carry on with the pregnancy.

On the morning of the 5th, after 12 hours of labor, Alicia showed the world her loud cry. Everyone could see a side of Mark that they thought they would never see.

One year later, 2 months after Alicia's first birthday, something changed. Natasha, the beautiful blonde Russian woman showed her real side. She was tall, slim, with those typical Russian features on her face: white skin, red cheeks, natural sun kissed hair, her blue eyes. She was always cheerful, making jokes, mostly naughty jokes, and she seemed to love Mark profoundly. Her magic faded away when one day, she walked into Mark's office. She wasn't smiling anymore and a shade of guilt could be seen in her eyes.

"_I got this role in a movie… I have to move in California" _She stated. She had the guts to look straight into his eyes after he had greeted her with a loving kiss and just like that she gave him the news. _"You can't come"_ She cut him off when he was about to say something. _"Stay here and take care of Alicia."_ She didn't say anymore and he was too shocked to talk. She simply turned around and walked out. She walked out of his office, and out of his and his daughter's life. Just like that. Since then he had never heard anything from or about her.

**--**

Thunder could be seen their window and the little girl woke. "Daddy?" She called his name sleepily.

"I am here sweetie." Mark stood up and took the girl in his arms. She nestled on his chest and closed her eyes. "Can't we go back to grandma?"

Oh yes, Mrs. Sloan was also one of the women he let stay in his life. She had helped him a lot with Alicia in these last years. She was Alicia's only female figure; she and her older friends. In these last three years, Alicia spent a lot of her free time with her father and his friends. Her best friend? Her best friend was not one of the girls she was playing with at kindergarten or in park. Her best friend was Derek Shepherd, her father's best friend and the person who spoilt her the most.

"We can't go back there sweetie!" Mark tried to soothe her sadness. They had been in Seattle for three days now and the girl was missing her old life already.

"I don't like the rain." She whined as she looked up at him with sad eyes. She was the living picture of her mother. Her hair, her big blue eyes; but she had the same sad eyes as his.

"I don't like it either."

"Then let's get back into that big plane and fly back to grandma." The girl stood up and kneeled beside him. Her daddy would do anything for her if she asked him nicely. "Please daddy!"

Just that this time, Mark shook from his head. "Why?" She couldn't understand how daddy could say no to her after she had asked him so nicely.

"Your daddy has a new job here in Seattle. It will be fun, you'll see. They have big ferryboats. You enjoyed the ride today."

"There are ferryboats at grandma's too" She started to pout. Manhattan, their hometown, was grandma for the little girl.

What he hated the most was to see his girl sad. It was a big change for them, especially for her, but this new job at one of the biggest hospitals in Washington might have been the best thing for his career as Plastic surgeon and for their family life. "These are bigger and here you can see more than in Manhattan. Don't be sad" Mark pulled her into his arms and laid her down beside him. Her long hair was hiding her sweet face. He brushed away the hair and pinched her cheek. He knew how much that would cheer her up.

Alicia giggled and hided her face in her pillow starting like this a play with her father. Mark tickled her back neck for a while, but he soon picked the girl up and turned her face up to ceiling as he shifted her on his arms. Alicia was tossing her arms and legs laughing hysterical at their play. Mark brought her up and dropped kisses all over her face. "Now get back to sleep, because it's late."

"I don't like the noises." Alicia stopped from laughing at her father's advice and sighed as she declared that.

Mark turned around and turned on the radio on one of the local radio station.

"_you can tell by the way  
she walks that she's my girl  
you can tell by the way she talks she rules the world  
you can see in her eyes that no one is her chi  
she's my girl, my supergirl"_

"Grandma will come and stay with us soon, so try and go back to sleep, ok?" Mark spooned her little body against his and drew the covers up over them. "We will have tons of fun here, you will see." He whispered before he dropped a kiss on her cheek.

"Do you promise?" She asked him hopefully. She didn't turn her face to him, because she knew she could trust in her daddy's promises.

"I promise you, angel!" He ran his hand up and down her body's side. He wasn't sure of that, but once that he promised something to his little angel he knew he had to do his best and keep his promise. Deep down, something was telling him that he would be able to keep his promise. "Sleep well, angel."

"Night daddy! I love you!" She stated sleepily.

Mark smiled and fell more in love with his daughter than he already was, if that was possible. He shifted his body a little to stand up and kiss her cheek again. Sleep had taken her back to her nice and peaceful dreams. "I love you too!"

He laid back down and buried his face into her hair to breathe in her smell. He was proud of his girl. She was a strong girl, always happy and looking normal despite the abandonment she suffered. "I love you, angel!" he whispered again as he closed his eyes.

"_then she'd shout down the line tell me she's got no more time  
cause she's a supergirl and supergirls don't hide  
then she'd scream in my face, tell me to leave, leave this place  
cause she's a supergirl and supergirls just fly"_


	2. It's nice to meet you, Ally!

_**Disclaimer:**_** I don't own Grey's Anatomy characters. So far I only own Alicia.**

_**N/A:**_** The first chapter was the introduction, but now we are getting into the storyline. Read it, Enjoy it, Review it!**

**-------------------**

**Chapter 2- It's nice to meet you Ally! I'm Meredith!**

One of the things that Mark and Alicia Sloan had in common? They weren't morning people.

Back in Manhattan, Alicia didn't have too much trouble with pre-kindergarten leaving. Mrs. Sloan, Crystal, always took care as her granddaughter to be fed and dressed properly before leaving to kindergarten with her father.

Now Mark was on his own and a complete madness started to describe their mornings. Mark was freaking out because he didn't know what to do first.

"Daddy, I think I am sick." The girl cried out from her seat in the back of the car.

Mark sighed as he heard her complaining again and looked at her through the rear-view mirror "Who ate all the cookies from that jar?" He asked her with a reproaching voice.

"I was hungry." Alicia frowned as she justified the empty jar.

"You had toast with butter and jelly on your plate and you didn't even touch them. Now stop whining; I will give you something for pain when we will get to hospital."

"I don't want a shot." She looked at him frightened.

"I will give you something good, don't worry!" Mark assured her.

"Drive faster, daddy!" She urged him as she wrapped an arm over her belly and bent over the seatbelt. "I think I am going to poop."

"What?" Mark hit the brake paddle and slowed down the speed. "You can't poop in here. You have to hold it until we get to hospital."

"I will try" the girl winced. "But I don't think I will can."

"You have to can. You are a big girl now and you cannot poop in your pants. It's a shame." It wouldn't have been the first time though. Alicia did it a couple of times while she was with him and her grandma in park. He used to change her diapers very often, but cleaning her after she quit on diapers was something for what Mark was very grateful to his mother. "Let's talk about something to make you forget about it. What do you want to talk about?"

That caught Alicia's interest. "Umm…Santa!" She exclaimed with excitement.

"Ok. Let's talk about Santa." Mark agreed hopefully.

"When is Santa coming?" She asked him.

"On Christmas." He answered simply. Stupid of him, because she would have been satisfied with that answer.

"When is Christmas? Is it tonight?"

"No" Mark chuckled. "We are still in September and the Christmas is in December, so we have three more months until there."

"Like in next week?" She asked him confused.

"No Ally" That was one of her nicknames. "A week has 7 days and a month has 30 or 31 days, so a month means more than a week."

"Why?"

Mark groaned with exasperation as he stopped at the red light. "Because…" He would have wanted to give her a full answer, but he didn't know how to do it, so he stopped at 'because'.

Alicia, on the other hand, didn't stop there. "Because why?"

"Ally" Mark whined as he turned around to face her. "Because… that's how God created this world."

"Ok" Alicia sighed. Their talk wasn't that interesting. "But why doesn't Santa come in September too?"

Mark chuckled at her cute question and started the car again. "Because Santa's elves are on holiday in September and because they would ruined your daddy's credit card."

Alicia didn't say anything back, which surprised Mark. He looked back at her and saw her contemplating on something as her eyes were fixed outside on window. He sighed with relief and hoped that she would not start again with the poop thing.

"Daddy?"

"Yes sweetie."

"I don't like this skirt you gave me." She stated playing her jeans skirt. Her entire look was a little messed up. Especially her long hair, which Mark had the intention to gather it into a ponytail. Many long strands had fallen out from it and she kept brushing them away from her face.

"You made me chase all over the apartment to get you dressed, so be more compliant."

"What's that compliant?" She asked him.

"It means you have to forgive me."

"I forgive you" Alicia giggled cheerful. "You know I love you, daddy!" she stated with honesty.

"I know sweetie!" His heart was growing each time she was saying things like that to him. One thing might have killed him… to know that his little angel would become a false person as her mother, but he put it in his hopes that she wouldn't. "I love you too!"

"Are we there yet?" She asked him impatiently as she threw her head on the back of the chair.

"We are here! Let's find a parking spot."

He found it, parked the car and unfastened his seatbelt. Then he went back and opened the door to take his girl from her seat. "Do you still need to poop?" He asked her as he unfastened her seatbelt.

Alicia shook her head. "It passed."

"Good then!" Mark picked her in his arms and shut the door.

"I will be working with you today?" She asked him smiling.

"I don't know." Mark sighed. He didn't hurry to enroll her to a kindergarten so this morning he found out that he can do it only after 11 o'clock. "I don't know what I am going to do with you today."

"We'll play together." Alicia clapped her hands with joy before she pressed a cheerful kiss on his cheek.

Mark smiled as he kissed her back and hurried inside the hospital. As he walked inside, many eyes moved on him curiously. To see a well-built sexy man like Mark Sloan holding with such a care a child, was something that rare get to see.

Mark didn't notice their stares and females' giggles either. He was running late… 2 hours late in his first day of work.

**----------------**

"Sloan, you are late!" A strong male voice exclaimed when Mark stepped out of elevator.

"Chief." As he turned around Mark saw his boss. "I know and I am sorry! We had some… problems."

"And you brought you daughter to work." The Chief said very unpleasant surprised to see Alicia hung on her father's neck.

"That was one of the problems that made me come so late." Mark tried to excuse himself.

"Whatever" The Chief cut him in haste. "We have a daycare downstairs so you could leave her there for the rest of the day, but now I want you to leave her under a nurse's care and come and meet the board. They are still here and you need to sign a new policy for your practice.

"I am coming, but I am leaving my daughter with a nurse. I am not leaving my daughter with anyone."

"Mark, the meeting with the board is not for a little girl. You can't go in there with her; besides, she will be out of your sight just for a few minutes." The Chief tried to calm him down a little. "Sarah" He called one of the interns he saw around them.

"Yes Sir" The petit blonde girl answered right away at his call. "I want you to look after Dr.'s Sloan girl for a few minutes."

The intern smiled and nodded. "Sure"

Just that Mark wasn't completely convinced that he could trust in her.

"Mark" The Chief cleared his throat to make him pay attention.

"Alright." Mark groaned as he put Alicia down and straightened her clothes. "If anything happens to her, you are dead!" Mark warned Sarah with a cold glare and mostly as a threatening.

"Mark, that was rude!" The Chief cut his malicious attitude. "I am sure that Dr. Thompson here can take care of her for a few minutes." He stated as he pointed to Sarah.

If at first Sarah was smiling flirty at him, now, after his threat she looked at him really pissed off. "Of course I can." She said as he held out her hand to take Alicia's.

Alicia took her hand without any hesitation understanding that from there she could go with her daddy anymore. Just that when she tried to take her hand from Mark, Mark held it tight refusing to let it go.

"Dr. Sloan we should go now while the board is here." The Chief spoke to him more formal this time.

Mark nodded as he kneeled at Alicia's level. "I will be gone only for a few minutes so you stay here and behave yourself, ok?"

"Ok daddy." Alicia wasn't very disturbed by that; she even smiled lightly at him.

"If she says or does anything bad to you just give her a kick in her butt." Mark was serious when he said that to his daughter gesturing up to Sarah.

Alicia didn't answer anything at that. She just giggled with a nod. On the other hand, the Chief and Sarah were shocked by Mark's advice for the little girl.

"Now you are being rude, Mark"

Mark rolled his eyes at Chief's statement and placed a kiss on Alicia's forehead. He stood up and they waved by to each other.

Mark left with the Chief not before he gave another threatening glare to Sarah.

Sarah watched them leaving and after they were out of their way, she dragged Alicia after towards the waiting area. "Nice daddy you have!" She was more speaking to herself than with Alicia as she spitted out her frustration.

"He is cute." Alicia giggled without getting Sarah's sarcasm. "I love my daddy!"

"Good for you!" Sarah muttered nervous "Now sit here and don't anything stupid. Are we clear?"

Alicia nodded as she struggled with that chair to climb it.

**----------------**

"I need something good to help go through this day." Meredith yawned as she was holding her cup with coffee in her right arm, covering her mouth with the other.

"Me too" Izzie was also hardly pulling her feet after her walking lazy right behind Meredith.

George, their companion, was rolling his eyes in annoyance. "Last night you two started yelling at me and call me names when I tried to make you stop with the tequila and take you back home. Now stop whining and live with it!"

"George, you were a sensitive guy. What happened to you?" Meredith asked him.

"Well… you two. That is what happened to me." George answered frustrated by his friends' whines.

"Whatever… where is Bailey? We should have started the rounds 15 minutes ago and we are still looking after her." Izzie asked confused checking constantly her watch.

"A nurse told me that all the doctors and residents are gathered to meet the new head from Plastics." George informed them forgetting about their small fight.

Looking around her with her hands propped in her lab coat's pocket, a cute little girl caught Meredith's eyes, which was sitting on a chair in the waiting area. Instantly they made eye-contact and the girl smiled at her.

Meredith smiled back and then she tried to catch up with her friends' new chat. She just tried, because she couldn't bring her attention back to Izzie and George and kept looking at that beautiful blonde girl, who had started to play with her Ballerina Barbie doll dancing her on her lap.

She was smiling as she was watching her, but then she noticed something wrong with the girl.

"Hey guys." Meredith shoved her friends to get their attention as she continued to stare at that girl. "Do you see that blonde girl?"

Izzie and George looked curiously following Meredith's vision line.

"She is so cute." Izzie stated smiling.

"Yeah; she is adorable." George agreed.

"But is it just me or she is alone there?" Meredith asked them. There were a couple of grown-up over there, but they all seemed to ignore the girl as if she wasn't known to any of them.

This was noticed by her friends also. "Let's go to her!" Izzie said and the three of them walked to the little girl.

Meredith stopped and knelled beside her chair. "Hey sweetie!"

"Hi" The girl greeted them cheerful.

"Are you alone in here?" Meredith asked her.

The girl shook her head. "I am with daddy, but a big man came and asked a lady to watch me while he talks with my daddy."

"And who is watching you?" George asked looking curiously around them, but none else but them seemed to have its eyes on her.

"A girl… Sarah but she said she is not a baby sitter and she left me here." The girl informed them. She wasn't scared or sad.

"Was she a doctor?" Meredith asked her.

"Yeah" The girl nodded "She was dressed just like you" She said pointing to them.

"Sarah Thompson" Meredith and Izzie said in unison as they shook their heads.

"What is your name sweetie?" Meredith asked her.

"Alicia Marie Sloan." She said as she held her hand out just as she had been taught to do.

The three doctors looked at each other.

"Sloan is the new doctor?" George asked shocked.

"He is one of the best in this field." Meredith stated as surprised as George.

"I didn't know he has a child." Izzie said.

"You can call me Alicia or Al or Ally!" Alicia stated. "What's your name?" She asked Meredith.

Meredith smiled as she shook gently her little hand. "It's nice to meet you Alicia! I'm Meredith."

"Meredith" Alicia giggled happy.

"And these are my friends, Izzie and George." Meredith said pointing up to her friends.

"It's nice to meet you, Ally!" Izzie smiled wide at her.

"You are a very pretty girl, Ally!" George complimented her as a gentleman as he took her hand in his and kissed it.

Alicia smiled happy at them.

Right in that moment, two pagers went on one after the other.

"I think we are still stuck with we our psycho guy." Izzie sighed while George groaned.

"We have to go now. Bye Ally!

"Bye Ally!"

"Bye Izzie and George!" Alicia waved to them. "I like Izzie" She stated as she looked at Meredith.

"She is a very nice girl." Meredith said as she sat down on a chair beside her. "Do you mind if I stay here with you while your daddy comes back?"

Alicia shook her head. "Do you want to be my friend?"

"I would love to be your friend." Meredith could feel how she was falling for that little girl.

"My daddy and I moved here from grandma and I don't have friends here." For the first time since she met her, Meredith saw some sadness in her eyes.

"Now you have me and I am sure that Izzie and George would be thrilled to be your friends also."

Alicia giggled with thrill as she started playing with her doll again.

6


	3. Meredith is my friend

**All I want is this**

**Chapter 3- Meredith is my friend**

From Meredith's lap, Alicia played with her Barbie doll while Meredith was braided her two ponytails.

"Meredith" Alicia called her as she continued to play with her doll.

"Yes Ally."

"Meredith, do you have a baby girl?" She asked her.

Meredith smiled a little surprised by her question. "No, I don't have one."

"But do you have a baby?" Alicia asked her.

"No, I am not a mother yet." Meredith answered.

Alicia continued to twist doll's leg captivated by her play, but also focusing enough of her attention on her chat with Meredith. "I don't have a mommy." She stated innocent.

Now that was a statement that took Meredith by surprise. She didn't know how to act: amused, sad or shocked. She felt a little from all three. "That was a very subtle proposal." Meredith joked laughing. Maybe it wasn't the most appropriate comment, but she didn't want to cause the girl a depression or something like that. She didn't know how the girl was feeling about her mother's absence.

Alicia didn't understand the meaning of 'subtle' but at Meredith's laugh, she looked back at her smiling. Then she returned to her doll picking up with its dance. "Meredith"

"Yes Ally"

"What kind of doctor are you?" She asked, same as earlier, without taking her eyes from her doll.

"I don't have a specialization yet, but I want to become a general surgeon." Meredith explained in terms too mature for Alicia; therefore, Alicia looked back at her curious as she asked "What are you fixing?"

Meredith giggled as she realized her mistake. "I will be able to fix on many parts of body; like... your father fixes faces or skin, I will be able to fix what is inside our body." She tried a easier explication.

"You are smart." Alicia stated as she got to her own conclusion and returned once again to her play.

Meredith smiled very impressed at Alicia's compliment. "Thank you, Ally!"

"I want to become a dancer or a doctor like you and daddy." Alicia stated.

"You have enough time to decide over this." Meredith answered. "Done" She finished with Alicia's last tail and then she arranged them over her shoulders.

Alicia put her doll down and touched her tails with care.

"Are too tight?" Meredith asked her.

Alicia looked back at her with a big smile on her face and shook her head. "Thank you, Meredith!"

"You're welcome sweetie!" Meredith smiled and gave her a kiss on cheek.

Alicia giggled happy in Meredith's arms as she returned two kisses to her.

None of them noticed Mark's return until he stopped in front of them clenching his fists and looking at them with a deadly glare. "Who are you and what in the hell are you doing with my daughter?" He yelled at Meredith and made her jump up from her chair scared with Alicia in her arms.

"Uh... I'm... I'm doctor Grey!" Meredith introduced herself as she tried to recover from the scare that Mark's yowl.

"Okay dr. Grey, and can you tell me where that idiot fellow of yours is?" Mark yelled at her, but not as loud as earlier.

Mark's offending attitude made Meredith recover fast from her scare and became angry with him. Alicia leaned over her arms to go to her daddy, so Meredith put her down to go to him. She didn't have to make a single step, because Mark picked her up. "Daddy, she is Meredith!" Alicia informed him a little scared unable to understand his angry burst.

"Okay, sweetie!" Mark told her without taking his glare away from Meredith. It was obvious that he didn't pay too much attention at Alicia's words.

"You must be dr. Sloan!" Meredith said; now her voice and attitude were as bitchy as Mark's were. "Well, I don't know where my idiot fellow is, but I found your daughter sitting alone in here. All I did was to stay here with her until you would get back to her."

"Couldn't have you looked for me and bring her?" Mark asked her sharply. He wasn't yelling anymore, but he was still nervous at her.

"I wasn't sure where to find you, so I thought it would be better to stay here with her." Meredith explained herself. "It wasn't very smart of you to leave her into a hospital with a foreign person. We have a daycare downstairs in case you haven't found out yet."

"Listen dr... Grey!" Mark snapped at her surprised by her new attitude. "What I do with my daughter is not your concern and please watch your tone because I am one of your bosses now."

Meredith rolled her eyes annoyed and that made Mark even angrier than before. "Keep rolling your eyes and we'll have an interesting cooperation at work. Apparently my daughter can be in more safety with some strangers than with staff from this hospital."

His last statement offended Meredith and brought her patience to over the edge. "You don't have any reason to offend me, dr. Sloan! As you can see, Ally was fine with me."

"Alicia! She is Alicia for you, not Ally!" Mark snapped at her.

"Daddy" Alicia dragged Mark by his sleeve to get his attention. When Mark looked at her, Alicia pleaded him with her eyes and not only "Please daddy, don't yell at her!"

Mark faked a smile to calm her down and then he looked again at Meredith. His smile for his daughter tricked Meredith, so she proposed kindly "Do you want me to take her to daycare for you?"

Mark frowned and a new glare showed up in his eyes. "Are you an idiot, Grey? Didn't you hear a word from what I said or do you need a translator?" As he spilled his last venom over her, Mark shifted Alicia on his other arm and walked away, leaving a shocked and angry Meredith.

"Jackass." She muttered nervous as she watched them leaving.

-------------------

After her father took her from Meredith, Alicia stayed quiet and pouted in his arms; she refused to play with her doll again or even to look at Mark. She turned her head away from him showing him how upset she was with him.

"Ally" Mark called her to make her look at him. His voice was tender again and all his anger from a minute ago seemed already forgotten. "Al look at me!" He asked, but Alicia refused to do it and shook her head.

"Look, I am sorry I yelled... I am having a bad day." He tried to justify himself. He apologized for the fact that he had yelled in front of Alicia's and not because he had done it at Meredith. For that, Alicia wasn't ready forgive him.

"Alicia" He tried to make her look at him again, but once again, he failed. He gave up on it for a while and headed towards elevators. They waited for it together in what for them looked as an awkward silence.

When an empty elevator got there, Mark stepped inside. They were the only passengers from it. Mark put her down and just then he noticed Alicia's tails. "Cute tails." He tried to cheer her up with a compliment.

Alicia crossed her arms against the chest and pouting, she turned her back on him. "I don't think I like you that much now." She stated.

Mark had heard that before. She used to say that each time Mark did something wrong and she was very upset with him. He knew that and he also knew that she always was pouting like this for a real reason. "I am sorry!" He said, although he wasn't very sure for what. Meredith was now already gone from his mind.

"Meredith is my friend." Alicia looked up at him with a frown. "You have to tell her you are sorry" Alicia warned him exactly how her father and her grandma told her to do after she had done something wrong.

Mark sighed annoyed to remember Meredith again and nodded. "I will, now please don't stay pouted, okay?"

"Do you like my tails?" Alicia asked him smiling proud as she showed him her tails.

"I told you already that I do." Mark smiled and caressed her tails. "You are very cute."

"Meredith made them." Alicia smiled very proud of her new hair style and her new friend.

Mark groaned silently in annoyance to have Meredith again in their talk.

"Daddy?" Alicia hugged his leg as she asked for his attention again.

"What?" He asked her.

Alicia smiled up at him and Mark knew she wanted something from him. He smiled back waiting for her new wish, a little worried. He always answered positive to her wishes, no matter how impossible or unpleasant they were for him.

"Can Meredith come to visit?" She asked him smiling monkish at him.

Now that was one of her wishes that seemed impossible for Mark. "You will make new friends at your new kindergarten. You have to play with girls at the same age as you. This Meredith is too old to be your friend."

Alicia frowned angry and once again, she crossed her arms against the chest as disappointment for her father's attitude. "Meredith is not old." She muttered angry. "You are old."

"Excuse me?" Mark laughed.

"You look older than Meredith." Alicia replied with the same anger in her voice and her face expression.

"Thank you!" Mark answered sarcastic and then he took her hand to led her outside the elevator. He looked confused around him trying to identify the place where they were. "Where is the daycare?" He asked himself.

Alicia was still upset with his answer at her wish, so she continued to stay pouted. "Ask someone." She muttered in silence; therefore, Mark didn't hear her.

"Let's go that way!" Mark said as he turned to right and start walking down the hall.

After a short tour of that floor, Mark stopped and picked Alicia up in his arms. "What am I going to do with you now?" He asked her after he had lost any hope to find the daycare anytime soon.

As answer, Alicia turned her head away from him, showing him that she was still upset with him.

"Now what's wrong with you?" Mark almost yelled at her nervous to see her attitude. His day hadn't been very good until then, so now his daughter's behavior was the last drop that filled the glass.

Alicia knew her father would never do more than yell at her, so she wasn't that scared to see him nervous. Contrariwise, she knew how to use his moods in her favor.

"I want Meredith to be my friend." She muttered upset.

Mark closed his eyes and tried to keep his calm. He took a deep breath and then he looked at Alicia. "Fine"

Alicia's face lightened up instantly as she heard her daddy. "Really?"

"Yeah, really." Mark faked a smile trying to hide his frustration of being so weak in front of his girl.

Alicia smiled brightly and hugging happy her daddy's neck, she also gave him a strong kiss on cheek. "We should find Meredith." She suggested.

"Why?" Mark asked her confused.

"Because she said there is a daycare outside the hospital." Alicia answered.

Mark sighed with frustration. "We don't need her to find it." He said as he returned to elevators. "I hate snooping women." He muttered pressing nervous the button to call the elevator.

"What's that snooping, daddy?" Alicia asked him curious.

"Snooping is that person who starts doing something for you without being asked to do it." He tried to explain her the term.

"So why don't you like snooping women?" Alicia seemed to have gotten the meaning of that word, so she asked him confused.

Mark looked at her, also confused by her question. The elevator got back to their floor, so he walked inside and pressed the button to get down in the main lobby.

"Daddy" Alicia took his face into her hands to make him look at her. She was still waiting for an answer.

"What?" He asked her as if he had forgotten about her question.

"Why don't you like snooping women?" She repeated her question. This time, they weren't alone in there, so the passengers smiled when they heard Alicia's question.

"Because I don't like them." Mark answered simply. "Because it's not nice to be snoopy."

"It's not nice to be nice and help people?" Alicia asked him with a puzzled look.

"What?" Mark was more confused than she was now.

"You said you don't like women who wants to help you." Alicia explained what she had understood from her father's previous lecture.

Mark remembered it too and smiled embarrassed as he noticed the weird stares from the others. "You know what? Let's forget about Meredith and let's find the daycare." Mark swifted her from one arm to another.

"Okay" Alicia agreed and put her head down on his shoulder. "Daddy?" She whispered after only a few seconds of silence.

"What is it?" Mark asked her calmly.

"Can Meredith come and play with me tonight?" Mark and her grandma taught her to ask them first when she wanted to invite one of her friends to their house and play. Now Meredith was her new friend, so she launched the question for her father's approval.

Mark sighed as he heard Meredith's name again. "You have to ask her if she wants. She might be busy tonight." He lied.

"I will." Alicia took his answer as a positive one and she was happy now that her father 'agreed'.

Downstairs, in the main lobby, Meredith had just returned from laboratory with some test results when the doors from elevator opened and Mark and Alicia stepped outside. Mark had put her down, so she was holding his hand.

"Meredith" Alicia gasped happy when she spotted Meredith not very far from her and her father. She ran from Mark squealing "Meredith"

Meredith stopped from her track and looked back from where the she was being called. She smiled when she saw Alicia running towards her and she sped up her footsteps to meet her half way.

"Hey Ally!" She knelt at her level to greet her.

Alicia stopped straight in her arms and hugged her tight. "Meredith" She was so happy to see her new friend again.

Meredith smiled overwhelmed by the affection that the little girl showed. "Why aren't you at daycare yet?" Meredith brought her in front of her and smiled as she rearranged her tails. It was a while ago when she last saw Mark leaving with Alicia to daycare.

"Daddy and I got lost." Alicia giggled.

When Mark saw where Alicia had run, he stopped and let her go to her. He wasn't very happy to see his daughter so excited for a foreign woman.

Mark hurried to them and stopped behind Alicia's overhearing her. "Let's go Alicia!" He demanded harsh as he grabbed her hand and ignored Meredith completely. He tried to drag his daughter away from Meredith, but Alicia opposed firmly hanging tight on Meredith's arm. "Wait" she asked trying to pull back her hand from Mark's tight grip.

"Dr. Sloan." Meredith took Alicia's hand and stood up when she saw Mark. She was still pissed off with his attitude from earlier and his new bitterness wasn't that pleasant either. "I can lead you to daycare; it's just a minute away from here." She proposed with coldness in her voice and eyes, almost ready to take another mean words from Mark.

"Thank you, but we don't need help." Mark replied coldly.

"Sure" She muttered with sarcasm.

Mark heard her, but he wasn't in the mood for more fighting, so he didn't reply.

"We need help." Alicia interfered right away. "Come with us, Meredith!"

Meredith looked at Mark for his approval, but she got her answer immediately as she met his glare. She smiled sympathetic at Alicia as she knelt down again. "I am sorry sweetie, but I have to return to work or my boss will be very angry."

Alicia understood and sighed disappointed. "Okay" She muttered.

"I will see you around, okay?" Meredith smiled tenderly as attempt to cheer her up. "Now go and have fun."

Alicia smiled and nodded. "Meredith, daddy said you can come and play with me tonight!"

That was something that took Meredith by surprise. She looked up at Mark questioning.

Mark shook his head as 'no'.

Meredith glared him as she realized that she had to do the dirty job for him and tell Alicia that she can't come and play with her.

"I am sorry sweetie, but I can't." She wasn't sure what to say to her so that she wouldn't get sad.

"Why?" Alicia asked her with sadness.

"I uh... I will have to stay and work tonight... maybe some other time sweetie."

Alicia shook her head disappointed. "okay"

"Now don't stay pouted and go and have fun at daycare, okay?" Meredith encouraged her and kissed her forehead.

"Okay Meredith." Alicia smiled a little and kissed Meredith's cheek.

Meredith stood up and let her hand go.

Holding her father's hand, Alicia turned around and together with him, she left to find the daycare.

"To the right you will find a small hallway and at the end of it is the daycare." Meredith shouted after Mark.

Mark didn't look back at her or said anything, though he had taken on the wrong way. He turned to the right and as Meredith told him.

"Like I said... a jackass." Meredith muttered nervous.

---------------

**This axle between Meredith and Mark won't last too long, because Meredith is now Alicia's friend and Mark loves his daughter.**

**I hope you enjoyed this one.**


	4. Peanut butter and jelly

**All I want is this**

**Chapter 4 – Peanut butter and jelly**

It had been a long first of work for Mark. A train derailed not very far from Seattle and piled the ER with patients. He hadn't seen his daughter since he dropped her at daycare. It was passed 9 o'clock in the evening when Mark entered into the daycare. There were just a few kids there at that hour, distracting themselves from the long waiting with different games such as electronic games, play cards or some of them were just drawing. There was another child, a little girl, into a more private corner sitting down against the wall, with her knees to her chest and muttering something to her Barbie doll.

"Psst" Mark called her when he got closer.

Alicia looked up and her face blossomed from the smile that started growing on it. She stood up and ran straight into her daddy's arms, which was now kneeled waiting for her to come. "You are here." She muttered sinking her face in curve of his neck.

Mark took her up in his arms and gave her a tight hug. "Of course I am here, Ally!"

Alicia pulled back a little to look at him with sadness in her eyes. "I thought I would stay alone in here. Everyone left with their mommies." She muttered sadly.

Mark smiled lovingly at her and gave her a strong kiss. "You know I will never leave you alone, do you?" He assured her.

"I know, daddy." Alicia showed him her lighting smile again. "Because you will always love me."

Mark chuckled and kissed her again. "I will always love you." He stated proudly and carried her outside the daycare.

"I will always love you too, daddy." Alicia confessed as she put her head down on Mark's shoulder. "Where did you say my mommy is?" She asked him after a moment of silence.

"To hell" Mark muttered under his breath, being angry only to remember her.

"Where?" Alicia lifted her head from his shoulder to ask him again curiously.

"She is gone… somewhere… I don't know where." Mark sighed heavily. He never talked with Alicia about Natasha and he had never showed her photos. Alicia seemed fine with the denial from her daddy's side; she always received enough attention and love from her daddy, her grandma and from their friend, but she was a smart girl and deep down she knew that her mother was out there somewhere.

There were rare the times when Alicia got sad. In most of the times, she did it in a situation like this, when Mark had to work until late and everyone else was too busy to come and take her from kindergarten in time. Luckily, everyone did their best not let that happen too often, so the name of 'mommy' came very rare in their topic.

"Will she ever come back?" Alicia asked her daddy with a casualty in her voice that let Mark know that she was feeling safe with him.

"No" Mark answered with a sympathetic smile. "She will never come back." He gave her one more kiss before they got to parking lot.

"I think I was bad and that's why she left." She stated with the same serenity as she had put that question too. "Was I bad, daddy?" Alicia looked at him with lines of worry on her forehead.

Mark stopped dead in his track feeling his heart breaking at his little girls own conclusion. He put her down and then he kneeled at her level. "You were never a bad girl and are not a bad girl now either." Mark looked straight into her eyes as he assured her that she had no fault. "That woman was crazy so it's good thing that she left because otherwise we wouldn't have been so happy." Mark said it as he thought it, referring at Natasha as 'that' woman. Since she left, he stopped calling her by her name or 'mother'. "Aren't you happy to have me and grandma?" He asked her.

Alicia smiled happy at him and nodded as firm answer. She jumped at his neck and kissed his cheek. "I think I am a little hungry." She said as she leaned on him.

Mark hugged her rubbing gently her small back. "Did they give you the dinner?"

"They did." Alicia nodded. "But I am still hungry." She giggled and started cuddling in his arms. "Can I have cake?" She asked him carrying cautiously a smile on her face; she often used it as shield against a potential shout from her father.

Mark chuckled and shook his head. "Maybe a pizza."

"But grandma says pizza is not good for me at dinner." She looked curious at him.

Mark laughed and pulled her back into his arms. "She also says that cake isn't good for dinner, doesn't she?"

Alicia smiled and looked away being caught guilty.

Mark stood up and took her by her hand. "We'll make some sandwiches, ok?"

"With peanut butter and jelly." Alicia looked up at him excited.

"Peanut butter and jelly…" Mark repeated slowly as if he was thinking about it. "I wrote it down." He winked at her and then he led her towards their car.

They were just getting to it, when Alicia gasped and jerk her hand out from Mark. Mark looked at her worried "What's wrong?"

"Daddy…" Her forehead frowned with sadness and worry as she stared ahead at something. "That's Meredith." She said as she pointed her finger towards a bench from nearby where Meredith was sitting on it, with her head fell to back making her look as if she was asleep. "Why is she sleeping on a bench?" Alicia asked herself and in the next second, she ran from Mark's side straight to Meredith.

Mark let out a groan of exasperation. "I see her in the morning, I see her at noon and now I have to see her before going to bed too." He sighed frustrated at the thought that he would have to behave nice with her in front of Alicia. To Mark, Meredith was one of the most annoying person he had met in Seattle so far; he didn't know her very well, but just the fact that she had caused fights between him and his daughter, was reason enough for him not to like her.

"Meredith" Alicia stopped at Meredith's legs and shook her gently as she called her name. "Meredith" She called her louder when she saw that no answer came from Meredith.

Meredith stirred and looked around her confused. It had been a long and hard day for her too, not only for Mark. "Ally?" She looked confused at the girl in front of her.

"Why are you sleeping outside?" Alicia asked her with pity and worry. "Don't you have a house?" She asked her as if she really believed that.

Meredith giggled and shook her head. "I am just very sleepy." She said.

"Ask your boss to let you go home and sleep then." Alicia remembered very well that Meredith excused herself from not going in visit at her by saying that she would work at night.

Meredith smiled impressed to see the worry and bossy tone of the little girl and especially to see that she remembered her lie. "I will" She replied smiling lovingly at her.

While Meredith and Alicia were having their small chat, Mark found the mood to go to them. He cleared his throat as he stopped behind of Alicia to announce his presence.

Meredith knew that he could not be far, so she was not surprised when she looked up and met Mark's bitter face. "Dr. Sloan." She stood up as she coldly answered at his presence.

"Dr. Grey." He said simply for a second as their eyes met. "Have a good night, Dr. Grey!" Mark said and took Alicia's hand "Let's go home, sweetie!"

"Wait!" Alicia shouted and pulled her hand from him again. "Meredith is sleepy. We have to take her home."

"We do? Why?" Mark asked her amused.

"You do? Why?" Same as Mark, Meredith was amused to hear Alicia.

"Because she is sleepy, daddy." Alicia rolled her eyes at his clueless. "And she can't drive. Didn't you say nobody should drive if it's sleepy or drunk?" She asked him trying to remember what he had told her no long time ago after another long day of work. "You said that if you are drunk or tired you shouldn't drive or else you will get to hospital."

Mark listened to her shocked to see the amount of information that his daughter recorded. Unfortunately, she was right, and… unfortunately for him, he would have to be nice with Meredith.

Meredith knew already what her daddy was thinking about all these, she was exhausted already, and an argument with Mark Sloan would be too much. "Don't worry, Ally!" Meredith leaned down at her. "I rested my eyes so now I can drive. Besides, I don't live that far from here." She said smiling kindly at her.

Alicia looked at her with discredit and then she looked up at Mark, tugging him by his hand. "You tell her." She demanded very bossy.

"I told you I will be ok, Ally!" Meredith stated convincing, but apparently, for Alicia, that wasn't enough and she continued to stare at her father waiting for him to confirm what she just said about driving.

Mark was put in front of a hard choice. His first impulse was to tell Alicia that Meredith would be fine, but with that, he would have showed her that not everything he teached her was the right thing. He stepped on his heart and looked at Meredith. "We can give you a ride home."

Meredith jerked her head to him stunned to see him offering to do something nice for her. "Are you sure?" She asked with disbelief.

Mark didn't reply and just took Alicia's hand as they walked back to his car. "My car is here." He shouted back when he saw that Meredith didn't move from her spot.

"Hurry up, Meredith!" Alicia looked back at her as she walked with her father and held out the hand for Meredith.

Meredith shrugged and reluctantly she followed them. Taking Alicia's hand, Meredith and Mark walked her to Mark's car.

Mark helped Alicia get inside and fastened her seatbelt and then he opened the door from passenger's seat for Meredith. Meredith ignored that and climbed in next to Alicia.

Mark shut the door nervous at her gesture, but without commenting anything about it, he got on the driver's seat and started the car. Meredith gave him the direction and Mark said he would manage with it.

"Meredith" Alicia gasped as she remembered something. "Meredith, come and see where we leave!" She remembered she invited her new friend to come in visit earlier and for her, now it seemed like the best time.

"It's too late for visits, Ally." Mark told her as he heard her idea.

For the first time, Meredith agreed with him. "He is right, Ally. It's very late and we should all get to bed."

"You can sleep with me. I have a big bed and I don't like to sleep in it alone." Alicia adopted a pleading voice. "I don't like that room."

Meredith looked at her amused. "Why don't you like the room?"

"Because it looks bad." Alicia answered.

"We didn't decorate her bedroom yet." Mark saw through the rearview mirror Meredith's confusion.

"Oh I see." Meredith nodded.

"So will you sleep with me?" Alicia asked her hopeful.

"I am sorry sweetie." Meredith smiled and shook her head. "I have to go home and shower, change into some clean clothes; besides, you didn't ask you father's permission."

Mark listened everything that Meredith and Alicia were saying in the backseats and after Meredith's apologize, he knew what was about to come. Looking in the rearview mirror, Mark saw Alicia looking at him hoping for a yes. "It's late, Ally and you won't have time to do anything together tonight." He said. "Some other time, I promise!"

"You always say that." Alicia muttered disappointed.

Mark and Meredith felt sorry for her, but both of them agreed with themselves that a positive answer would have been a spoil for Alicia.

Alicia put her head on Meredith and started outside on window in silence. Meredith put an arm around her and gently she started brushing her messy tails while she watched outside through the same window as Alicia.

"Where are we going?" Meredith asked confused looking outside on her window and then ahead.

"To your house." Mark found that question silly and annoying.

"Is this a shortcut? Where are we?" Meredith was still confused about the road that Mark had chosen.

"We are going to North; didn't you say you live there?" Mark asked her in annoyance.

"I do, but I have no idea where are we right now." Meredith replied still staring outside trying to figure out where exactly were they. It was a rainy and dark night of November so all these made the identification harder for her.

Mark pulled the car on right and turned around to look at her. "I have an excuse to get lost in this town, but for God's sake, you live here."

"That's not the road I take to get home. I clearly told you to get on the highway, not through town." Meredith snapped at him furious on his attitude.

Mark shot her a deadly glare before he returned on his seat and started the car again.

"Where are we going now?" Meredith asked him.

"We are going to my place and from there you can take a cab." Mark answered simply.

"Yay!" Alicia squealed innocent as she heard that and clapped her hands with joy. She didn't know what driving with taxi during the night meant, but she knew that Meredith would come and see their new home and she was beyond happy with that.

Meredith instead, knew what that meant so she sighed frustrated. "Take me back to hospital to take my car." Meredith told him with a commanding voice, while Alicia shook her head worried.

"I am not going to return at hospital." Mark cut her off. "I will pay you the taxi. Thank to your friend and stop whining." He added and made it clear that nothing from what she would say next would change his mind.

Meredith looked at Alicia and saw the lines of worry from her face. She smiled warmly at her and putting an arm around her, Meredith brought her to rest on her. "We will eat sandwiches." Alicia rubbed gently Meredith's as comfort after she saw her upset. "Do you like peanut butter and jelly?" She asked her looking up at her.

Meredith found it as the cutest thing that anyone said to her lately. She could not help not to fall for the little girl. Meredith rubbed her cheek and smiled as she leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I like peanut butter and jelly."

Alicia giggled and tried to surround her body with her small arms. Meredith hugged and kissed the top of her head.

The rest of the ride was rather quiet; only Alicia broke it from time to time to hurry. She was sleepy and continued to yawn frequent all the way, so she was afraid that she would lost the chance of spending some time with her new friend.

**-------------------------**

Meredith found their apartment as being a clean one; at least considering that in it were living a man and his 4 years old daughter. It looked as a big apartment, but nothing from it would have said that it was a family apartment. The furniture, the dismissed male clothing items all around the living room and the missing toys would have confirmed to anyone that it was a bachelor's apartment.

"Come see my room!" Alicia took Meredith's hand and dragged her after her in one of the rooms.

Stepping inside, Meredith understood why Alicia didn't like her room. The bedroom was spacious and for the first time, Meredith saw toys. There were a couple of boxes filled with all kind of toys aligned down against one of the walls. Same as the rest of the house, the room looked as a grown up's room. She didn't even have sheets for children on that bed.

"When did you and your daddy arrive here?" Meredith asked her curiously, and she continued to look around her.

"Uh…" Alicia tried to think of it counting on her fingers, but she gave up and shrugged at Meredith.

Meredith chuckled and shook her head.

"We slept 2 nights here." Alicia seemed smart enough to come with an answer for Meredith's question.

"So you moved here 3 days ago." Meredith concluded and Alicia nodded approving her. "You will have to decorate this room. What color do you want to have on walls?" Meredith asked her.

Alicia answered with a shrug. "I don't know. Will you help me?" she asked her with a grin imprinted on her face.

Meredith smiled at her. She was definitely falling for the little girl. Too bad her daddy was such a jerk, she thought. "Come here" Meredith took her in her arms and sat down on a chair before she placed the girl on her lap. "I am not sure if I will be able to help you decorate it, but I think I can help you with some ideas."

Alicia looked at her with excitement and positioned herself in Meredith's arms to make sure that she would listen careful.

Meredith giggled at her cute face. "I will tell you how my room was when I was child." She started. "It had the walls painted with a light pink and I had butterflies of all sizes glued on it."

"I like butterflies." Alicia stated excited of what she was hearing.

Meredith smiled and gave her a kiss on forehead. "You should see if your daddy has other ideas."

Alicia shook her head giggling. "Daddy doesn't have ideas." She stated innocent.

It says that children never lie and they are the ones who read the real character of a person, so Meredith wasn't surprised to get her confirmation about Mark. She laughed amused and in the same time satisfied to hear something so offending coming from nobody else but his little girl.

"Oh and can I have posters on wall?" Alicia asked her as recommendation. "At grandma I had a few posters with cartoons and ballerinas"

Meredith noticed each time she met her during that day, that Alicia loved her ballerina Barbie doll; she had many other toys in her bag though. "Do you like the ballet?"

Alicia nodded proudly at her and then she jumped from her lap. "Do you want to see what I can do?" She asked Meredith with a joy that almost begged Meredith to say yes.

"Sure" Meredith confirmed with a nod.

"Ok" Alicia squealed happy. She put her doll on bed beside Meredith and then stepped in front of Meredith. She bent her left knee a little, while she took the right leg behind the left one and with a swift move, she jumped on her tiptoes, made a pirouette and landed graceful on both legs.

Meredith was truly impressed by Alicia's representation, mostly to see her so stable on her small legs and so graceful. "That was fantastic, Ally!" Meredith applauded her. "Who taught you this?" She asked her holding her arms out for her to come.

Alicia giggled proudly and ran to her. Meredith brought her back on her lap and rewarded her with a hug and kiss. "I saw on TV." Alicia answered.

"Really?" Now that was something even more impressive. "You are very talented, Ally! Why aren't you taking classes?" Alicia answered with a shrug. "I don't know."

Meredith was about to say something, when she felt Mark's presence in the doorway. She looked up at him and saw something uncommon with him. Mark was looking at his daughter with such a tenderness and love. For Meredith, Mark was still a rude man, but she had to admit that his love for his daughter was touching.

Meredith and everyone who knew Mark could say that Mark wasn't the best father; but his world was revolving around Alicia's and that together with the fact that he was wiling the be the best father for her, were making him already the best.

It was a split second when Meredith actually liked Mark, until Mark looked up at her and met his already regular glare.

Meredith rolled her eyes and put Alicia down. "I have to call a taxi." She didn't want any other meaningful word from Mark for staying in his house more than a few minutes. As she said that, Meredith took out the cell phone from her jacket's pocket.

"No" Alicia almost scream terrified to see her friend leaving so soon. "You have to eat sandwiches. Are the sandwiches ready, daddy?" She asked him in a rush while she desperately hung on Meredith's hand as if she didn't want to lose her.

Mark smiled at her and nodded before he looked up at Meredith and motioned her to come and eat.

Meredith knew that Mark agreed with that just to please his daughter, but she felt sorry to leave Alicia disappointed, so holding Alicia's hand, Meredith walked out of bedroom. Alicia led her while Mark followed them to kitchen.

During their snack, Mark watched how good his daughter was interacting with Meredith. They were so involved in their chat about decorations, that Mark became invisible. Mark analyzed Meredith discreetly; she was pretty… actually sexy. He might hate the women, but he was still a man. Details as woman's legs, hair, boobs and other parts of her body, couldn't not pass unobserved. After all, they were all full of testosterone.

The sexual detail always passed on the second place very fast, when his daughter met one of his women. Mark tried to see at Meredith and shade of faking. Since Natasha left, he tried to learn how to recognize fake people. He managed to do it for a few times. Now, at Meredith, everything looked so natural; the way she was talking to Alicia, the way she was laughing and looking at her. But that's exactly what remembered him of Natasha. She seemed natural and honest and now, only God knew where she was.

Alicia didn't eat more than a sandwich, but she took small bites from it to give herself more time with Meredith. This think didn't pass unnoticed by Meredith and Mark, so Mark urged her to hurry with that sandwich.

Their snack finished when Alicia took the last bite and Meredith and finished theirs.

"I think … I am sleepy." Alicia stated hardly keeping her eyes open.

"You will have a quick shower and then we will get in bed." Mark told her as he picked up her plate and stood up to put it in sink.

Alicia frowned at the idea of doing anything else but going to right away. "I am clean, see?" she asked him showing him her palms.

Meredith and Mark laughed at her cuteness.

"Ok, but at least put the pajamas on." Mark told her.

He had started wash their plates already, when all of the sudden he felt the strange silence from there. He looked back at them and smiled as he met their eyes staring at him. "I know I am handsome, but you missy should get ready for bed and you… Grey" Mark paused avoiding this way to call her by her first name "…You have to get yourself a taxi."

Meredith and Alicia looked at each other and smiled and then they looked back at Mark.

"Do you mind if I stay a minute more to kiss her goodnight?" Meredith asked him without any fear of being insulted.

Mark sighed, but he gave her an approving nod. "I will be right there too." He told them and then returned at his plates.

Meredith winked happy at Alicia and then picked her up to carry her to her bedroom. She helped her get in her pajamas and then she tucked her in. Alicia moved over getting on a side of the bed "Come here, Meredith." She called her patting the empty space beside her.

Meredith laughed and shook her head. She leaned down to her and kissed her one more kiss. "I'll just lay down here for a moment."

Alicia took the white fluffy dog toy from the nightstand and brought it in bed with her. "This is Lolo" She introduced her doggie to Meredith.

Meredith lay down beside Alicia and brushed her hair slowly "Sleep well, Ally and you Lolo."

Alicia giggled quietly and sunk her face in Lolo's puffy head.

Continuing to brush slowly her hair, Meredith could see her drifting off to sleep.

A minute later, she heard Mark coming in, so she stood up immediately making a sign to stay quiet.

Mark ignored her and went to kiss his daughter. "Good night, angel." He whispered to her ear pulling the blanket upper on her. When he stood up, Mark looked around the dark room and saw that Meredith wasn't in there anymore.

Coming outside, Mark saw Meredith hanging up her cell phone. "A taxi will be get here in 10 minutes." She told him while she gathered her things from living room.

Mark paced around for a few seconds and then he stopped and looked at her. "Look…" He wasn't sure of how he would say it, but Meredith knew already that he wouldn't say something nice. "… if you think that becoming friend with my daughter will bring you in my graces and you will get any favors for me, then let me tell you that you are wrong. So you would better stop acting like you care about Alicia, because I am not going to allow you to let her down. She is a good child who had to stand many shits from women, and she definitely doesn't need a new one from the one she thinks she is her friend." His voice wasn't loud, but his silent shouts were mean.

Meredith replied with a sarcastic laugh. She looked at him with haughtiness letting him no that she had no reason to feel guilty for. "Do you think that everything is about you? Do you think you are so important to us? You are such an idiot, Sloan!" She laughed ironic giving up on courtesy. "For your information, my friendship with Alicia has nothing… absolutely nothing to do with my job at hospital. I have no interest… I repeat… no interest in Plastics. Neurology has my interest, so don't worry, I am not expecting on favors from you. I don't want anything from you. Actually, I would be grateful if we'll never have to work together, because you are one of the most arrogant men I have every met. A bitter selfish bastard, who has this damn luck to have a sweet girl as Alicia," Her face was red of anger, but once that she spilled out everything that gathered in one single day, she sighed calmer.

Mark looked at her in daze. Nobody had said something like this to him, or at least not so straight and in less than 24 hours since they met. For the first time that day, he didn't know how to react in front of Meredith.

"You know, Dr. Sloan." Meredith continued much calmer this time. "I don't know too many things about you, but if you think that every person that gets in contact with you daughter wants something from you, then let me tell you that you might be wrong. For me you are not a person around which I would like to be. Have a good night, Dr. Sloan! I am going to wait for the taxi outside." With the same calm from her last statement, Meredith smiled at him and headed to exit.

Mark watched her leaving and not even now after he was left alone he could not wake up from his daze.

-------------

_This isn't one of my favorites chapters, especially because of the writing. I am not sure how expressive Meredith's lecture was, but I wanted to make Mark realize that he is not the only one who thinks at the opposite sex as worthless; women have the same respect for him as he has for them. Maybe this would help him like Meredith more. What do you? Could this help him?_

_Thank you so much for reviewing this fic and I hope that you will do it again! _

10


	5. What a day

**Chapter 5- What a day**

Mark continued to stare at the door. Meredith had stormed out nervously minutes ago and he was in the same spot. "Did she just say that?" Mark shook his head in disbelief. His fist hit the edge of the couch. He was definitely offended.

He was offended because Meredith called him an idiot, told him straight that he was a nobody and he was offended because she had the gut to tell him the truth. The fact that Meredith hit him so straight with the truth, offended him the most.

Different women called him names during the past years, but none of them had done it before she visited his sheets first.

"Stupid woman" he grumbled and shook his head again as if he was looking to forget her.

With an angry sighed, Mark turned around and headed to Alicia's bedroom. Her door was half-open so Mark pushed it wider and through the ray of light coming from hall, he leaned against the doorframe and watched her sleeping. Her small body looked lost in that big bed and between sheets and big pillows; but her body was breathing slowly, raising a small bump through blanket. Mark needed to calm down and forget about Meredith and about reality. He needed to watch his angel sleeping; only she could calm him down and help him relax. Or maybe not?

Mark stirred as he heard Alicia's sleepy voice muttering from her bed. He walked over to her, thinking she might had woken up.

He went to her bedside and leaned down to watch her closer. She was still asleep and looked as if she was dreaming at something very nice. "Butterflies" She muttered again in her sleep and giggled.

Mark chuckled, imagining her innocent dream, but his smile faded away as Alicia muttered another word. "Meredith"

At that moment, that was the word he hated the most. "Seriously," he muttered silently through a sigh. He leaned down to Alicia and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Her curtains were still open and surprisingly, the sky was no longer cloudy and the full moon lighted over the dark town. Alicia used to wake up during the night and each time she saw the big moon outside her childish imagination frightened her. Mark grabbed the curtains to close them, but not before he gave one more look over the quiet street. They were living at the 4th floor, so it was impossible for him not to recognize the silhouette waiting outside on the sidewalk. She was pacing around checking her watch every 2 seconds, nervous waiting for something.

Mark closed the curtains and sighed. As he looked back at Alicia, he met her happy dream again. Her happy dream with… Meredith.

Quietly, Mark closed the door from her bedroom and without any second thought, he headed straight to the main door.

**--**

"You can at least wait for it inside the building." Mark stated with his voice trembling from the chil night of September.

Meredith jumped scared at the sudden appearance and sighed as she looked back and saw Mark. "It should get here any minute now," she replied as she looked ahead down the alley and tucked the jacket tighter around her waist.

"You are stubborn," he replied coldly. "And stubborn is stupid."

Meredith jerked her head to him with a deadly glare. "You…" she gritted her teeth nervously wanting to say something back. "And you… you are an idiot."

"I know; you already told me." Mark replied in annoyance. The cold wind was roughly brushing his body. He snuggled his arms to his chest, pacing the spot of sidewalk he was sitting on. "But I am not stupid." he added, shivering. "At least I'm an idiot who prefers the warmth."

Meredith turned to him, nervous. "What exactly do you want now?" She asked him. "Did you leave your 4 year old daughter alone in there just to come down and call me stupid?"

Mark rolled his eyes and turned around to open the door. "You can wait for it inside" He stated while he held the door open, avoiding an eye contact with her.

Meredith looked at him with distrust.

"Come on in already! I am freezing here and my daughter is alone upstairs." He urged her, this time looking at her.

It was very cold indeed and Meredith felt her body getting numb because of it. She reluctantly climbed up the few stairs and walked inside the building with just one distrusted glance at Mark.

**--**

Meredith didn't take off her jacket when she returned to the warmth from Mark's apartment. She was still terribly cold and felt like the cold had reached inside of her bones. She sunk down on couch with her arms tightly snuggled to her chest.

"Ally is dreaming butterflies now." Mark muttered quietly from the other side of the couch, where he had sunken as well.

Meredith looked towards him with a confused expression on her face.

Mark felt her looking at him, so he decided to have eye contact with her. "She wants you to be her friend and if you want to, you can be her friend too." He said. "But I am warning you: if you will fail her, then you are going to be very sorry for it."

Meredith was caught off guard by Mark's statement; she wasn't surprised by his warning; surprising was the fact that he actually agreed to let her stay around his daughter. "I have no intention to do it."

"None had the intention but they still did it." Mark replied coldly as he leaned his head back over the couch.

"Sealing her away from people won't protect her. This is something that none can control… as much as we want to." Meredith spoke softer than before. Once again, she had to admit that it was impressive to see how much Mark loved his daughter and all the care he offered her. That wasn't a reason for his behavior towards people though.

"I am not sealing her from everybody…" Mark replied angrier without moving his head from couch. "… I am doing it only from women." He added and looked at her to sustain his statement.

Meredith started him dazed and felt her mind blank at his words. "Oh" she finally managed to say as her brain started processing Mark's statement. She smiled visibly embarrassed at her own thought.

"What?" Mark asked her suspiciously.

"I… uh…" She started with a stammer. "I just… I didn't think you might be gay." Meredith concluded and said it in words. "I don't have anything against gays so don't get me wrong; it's just… uh… is still not fair you know. I mean Ally is a girl and you can't dictate her sexual orientation."

Mark listened to her conclusion and opinion; he was completely shocked to hear those words. "God" He let out a loud groan after he took a few moments to process what he had just heard at Meredith. "Do you even hear yourself to see how stupid you are?" He asked her with a very sharply tone.

Meredith had sustained her conclusion and opinion very naturally and without any other sign of dislike for Mark, but now, after she heard him offending her again, the repugnance for him returned. She shook her head in disbelief at his rudeness.

Mark shifted from his side of couch to Meredith and did it so fast and hard that his body pressed against hers now. He leaned to her, stroking her hair to back as his mouth approached dangerously close to her face. "I am a real man." He whispered, cocky. His next move was fast and sudden as he leaned to her more, but Meredith had anticipated his next move so she jumped up from couch in a split second, making Mark almost hit the spot she had sat on.

"In this case you are a sick man, Sloan!" Meredith attacked him verbally. "You are a sick man who shouldn't even take care of a child. A man with a health state of his mind wouldn't do this to his own child!"

Mark jumped up on his feet also and grabbed her wrist angrily. "You don't know anything about me… about us, so don't you dare come here and call me names, give me lectures about how I raise my child. She is MY child and you don't know us."

Meredith jerked her wrist from his tight grip and stepped back as she rubbed it to sooth the pain. "Then help me understand." She said, softer this time.

Mark didn't expect her to calm down and show some sympathy; he expected her to show and blare out other criticizing words. He also made a step back and calmed down. "It's none of your business," Mark stated as he returned at his previous spot on couch.

Meredith started to feel uncomfortable with the situation. She was into a stranger's house and they were fighting over his private life. That wasn't something she used to do before. "I am sorry!" She muttered with sincerity.

An awkward silence fell over them as Meredith's last word died off. Meredith stared at a spot from carpet biting her bottom lip nervously, while Mark propped his elbow on couch's arm and his head in his hand.

"Umm…" Meredith finally made the first sound. She wasn't very sure on what she was going to say next, but someone had to say or do something.

Luckily, their help showed up unexpected in living room.

"Meredith?" A sleepy voice asked.

Mark and Meredith looked into its direction and saw Alicia standing not very far from their couch, sleepy, rubbing intensively an eye with her fist holding Lolo in the other one.

"What are you doing up, Ally?" Mark stood up and hurried to her. He took her up in his arms, pushing away the hair from her face.

"Someone was arguing." She answered sleepy. "Did you yell at Meredith again?" She asked him with a frown on her face.

Mark smiled guilty and gave her a kiss hoping that with it he would make her forget the question. Silly of him, of course.

Alicia started fussing in his arms to be put down. Mark complied and put her down.

"Are you going to sleep here, Meredith?" Alicia ran from Mark to Meredith in the moment that Mark released her.

"No, sweetie." Meredith shook her head with a loving smile for the little girl.

"Is it because of daddy, right?" Alicia asked her with disappointment. "I told him to apologize; did he do it?" She asked her.

Meredith laughed finding the actual situation very amusing. She looked at Mark to see his reaction and saw him still smiling guilty. Suddenly, the moment didn't seem awkward anymore. "He didn't." Meredith answered. After all, she didn't want to be a liar. As she gave Alicia the answer, Meredith looked at Mark again and met his disapproving shake from his head. Meredith giggled surprised to find that his regular glare for her was missing in that moment.

Alicia turned around to her father and took a very reproaching attitude. She propped her hands on hips and looked at him with a deadly glare.

"Come here." Meredith laughed at her cute reaction and sat down on couch. She held out the hand for Alicia to come to her. "He didn't apologize because it was both ours fault." Meredith told her. "So in situations like this, the both parts has to apologize or neither of them."

Mark had to admit that Meredith's reasoning impressed him. She was right. They both crossed the line. He felt getting tired of arguments. It had been a long exhausting day, so he decided to leave other insults for the next day. Mark came over to them and sat down on couch not very far from Meredith.

Alicia smiled sleepy at each of them and climbed up on couch occupying the small space between Meredith and Mark.

"I have to call again for a taxi, because the first one doesn't seem to show up anytime soon." Meredith stated as she took the phone out of the pocket.

Mark saw Alicia's eyes begging him 'no' and then he checked his watch. It was already midnight. "You should sleep over." He said exactly when Meredith was about to press a button and dial the number of a taxi company.

Alicia grabbed Meredith's hand with both hands, hiding the mobile phone in them. Her face was smiling and she was begging her to say 'yes'.

"What?" Meredith looked with shock at Mark.

"It's midnight… you can't leave alone with a taxi on midnight." Mark replied trying to act casual as if his offer wasn't such a big deal. "Besides that would make me a bad man."

"And you are not?" Meredith giggled.

"He is not." Alicia answered right away.

Meredith smiled at her and nodded. "Ok" then she looked at Mark again. "Are you sure?"

Mark gave her just a glance and stood up from couch. "You can sleep with Alicia if you want." He said looking at Alicia and avoiding making eye contact with Meredith.

At first, Meredith took everything as a joke when Mark told her she can sleep over, but now she saw how serious he was. "Ok" She answered hesitantly.

"Ok" Mark muttered back, still avoiding the eye contact.

"We will share, Lolo!" Alicia offered very generous to share her toy doggie with Meredith.

"Thank you, sweetie!" Meredith smiled tenderly at Alicia and ran her fingers trough her hair. "Umm… can I use the shower?" Meredith asked Mark hesitantly.

Mark hadn't thought about that when he proposed Meredith to sleep over.

"If it is ok with you! I won't insist." Meredith stated after she saw Mark's silence.

"Uh…Sure" Mark nodded. "I'll go bring you some clothes and a towel." He said in hurry, which thing made Meredith saw him as a shy teenager.

"Will you shower quickly, Meredith?" Alicia asked her. "I think I am too sleepy." She stated with a big yawn.

Meredith kneeled at her level and bringing her closer, Meredith smiled looking into her eyes. She was such a beautiful girl. Her blue eyes were asking love only and they could offer love only. Even a bitter man as Mark was in love with her. "Why don't you wait for me in bed?"

Alicia shook her head.

"I will be there in a few minutes, I promise!" Meredith assured her, but it was useless, because the girl refused to do so.

"There you go!" Out of nowhere, Mark returned in living room holding out some clothes for Meredith and a towel. "The bathroom is at the end of the hall.

Meredith smiled knowingly at him as she stood up and took the clothes from him. "I always get at my destination… even without directions." She couldn't help not to mock him for getting lost when he was supposed to drive her home.

"Go" Mark said simply, but after she turned around to leave, he shook his head smiling. "In bed, missy!" Mark said when he saw Alicia still up and without showing any intention of going back to bed.

"Not now!" She whined and climbed up on couch. She settled there cradling the dog in her arms and waited.

Mark knew it was useless to argue with her, since he already knew what she was waiting for, so he gave up and sat down beside his daughter.

He had just turned on the TV, when he heard the interphone ringing.

"Who is it, daddy? Is it grandma?" Alicia asked him with a hopeful smile.

Mark smiled warmly and shook his head. He knew who it was. He had asked the door attendant to call them when Meredith's taxi would get there.

Mark hurried up and went to answer it. "Mr. Sloan, the taxi is here!" the man told him when he heard Mark answering.

"Tell the driver she got tired of waiting and she left." Mark asked.

"But… but I didn't see her leaving." The man said back confused which made Mark roll his eyes in annoyance.

"You go tell it what I said and have a good night, Mr. Klebber." With that, Mark hang up and returned in living room, where Alicia was on couch, up on her knees looking at him with awe. "What?" Mark asked her.

"You lied." Alicia gasped as she made some huge eyes because of the shock.

Mark chuckled and went to her. "Do you want Meredith to sleep here tonight, right?" Of course, Alicia's answer was a nod. "Ok then you can't tell Meredith about this call and you have to forget that I lied."

"Ok" Alicia agreed without any other thought.

"Now…" Mark said as he scooped her up on arms. "… you are going in bed." Mark kissed her tummy as he carried her to her bedroom.

Between laughs, Alicia didn't have time to protest, so she soon found herself in her bed. Mark tucked her in and gave her kiss. "Wait here for Meredith, ok?"

"Ok, daddy!"

Mark smiled and leaned down to her for another kiss. "Sleep well, angel!"

"Sweet dreams, daddy!"

When Mark walked out of Alicia's bedroom, Meredith walked out of bathroom. Mark stopped dead in his track as his eyes saw her. She was wearing his brown shirt and her wet hair over it only. Mark's eyes glided along her wet strands of hair, which had wetted the shirt around her breasts, and their erected nipples were pressing in it.

Meredith had stopped too when she met Mark on hall. "Uh…" Meredith felt uncomfortable with all the skin she was exposing. She caught Mark's eyes on her chest so she brought an arm over it breaking like that his gaze. "These are too large." She said as she handed the trousers back to Mark.

Mark nodded and took them from her. "Is everything good?" He asked her trying to end the uncomfortable moment.

"Yeah" Meredith nodded and drew her shirt upper over her chest for more privacy at her intimate parts, but unconsciously she revealed more of her legs' skin.

Mark chuckled discretely and tried to keep his eyes away from her as much as possible.

"I should go… and sleep." Meredith pointed to Alicia's room.

Mark nodded and stepped aside from her way with a gesture that she can go.

"Good night, Dr. Sloan!" If the whole they went by with grimaces between them, now, at the end of the day, Meredith showed him a slight but honest smile and Mark answered in the same manner.

"Good night…" He left his wish incomplete watching her entering Alicia's room and closing the door. "…Meredith" Mark smiled and shook his head as he turned on his heels and headed to his room.

Meredith smiled finding herself laying down beside a sleepy little girl, which she met less than 24 hours ago. She leaned down to her sleepy figure and kissed her soft cheek. Lolo was sleeping under Alicia's arm sitting between her and Alicia. Meredith enjoyed the softness of Alicia's toy while she watched her sleeping. She was a sweet girl even when she was sleeping.

"What a day!" Meredith sighed and muttered silently.

After a quick shower, Mark walked out of the bedroom and stopped in front of his daughter's bedroom as he passed by it. He watched the door lingering in front of it. Behind it wasn't sleeping only his daughter; there was a stranger also. A woman he didn't know, but he let her sleep over with his only child.

"What a day!" Mark sighed and turned to his room.

--

_I think this is my favorite chapter so far because of all the types of interactions between Meredith and Mark. What a day, right? _

_Thank you so much for your lovely reviews! I hope you enjoyed this one as much as I enjoyed writing it! _

_Dana._


	6. Good Morning

**All I want is this**

**Chapter 6 – Good morning**

Meredith's eyes slowly started open as Meredith woke up. As she became conscious of her vision, Meredith met Alicia's sleeping face. They were just a few inches away from each other and Meredith could hear her breathing and sleeping. Close to her chest, Lolo was sleeping as well almost hided under the girl's arm. A smile lightened Meredith's face and banished the sleep. The room was sunk in darkness, but the few rays of sun that were sneaking inside through curtains told Meredith that a new day had come.

It had been such a long and exhausting day at work and meeting Mark hadn't been that enjoyable either. Therefore, she could feel pain in her muscles and brain. Despite all this, she felt relaxed after a good night sleep.

Meredith rolled on back and stretched her body letting a yawn out to lead the tiredness outside her body. She raised her arm to check the watch, but all she could see was her skin; she had left her watch in bathroom on counter last night. Meredith looked on the nightstand beside her bedside, but there wasn't any clock and on Alicia's either.

Meredith raised the quilt and slowly made her exit from bed. The mattress creaked as she let her weight on the edge of the bed and Meredith winced and looked back at Alicia to see if she had disturbed her sleep. Alicia remained motionless, enjoying her sweet dreams.

Meredith raised an eyebrow amused and muttered quietly "Heavy sleeper." She leaned down and drew the quilt over the girl. Then, she walked on tiptoes outside the bedroom and closed the door.

On hallway, she met the same semi-darkness as in Alicia's bedroom. She paid more attention around her to find more details of those surroundings. It was a small and narrow hall with a door on one side and two doors on the other side and its end was leading you straight to bathroom. It was also simple; painted in a color, which seemed more as gray in the lack of light and without photos of any kind as she was used to see in people's houses. The apartment was in silence, so she walked quietly towards bathroom.

Meredith closed the door with the same discretion as her previous gestures and flicked the light on. A white strong light invaded the room and made Meredith wince and close her eyes. She opened them back slowly until they adjusted to light. Meredith leaned over the sink to watch her face in the big mirror from wall. She ran two fingers down her cheek and under her eyes as if she wanted to smooth their bags. She turned on the cold water and put her hands under it to enjoy its cold spray. She filled her palms with water and as she leaned over the sink, the water splashed over her face. Meredith repeated it for a few times until she felt her face freezing. She turned off the water and looked back at mirror watching the big drops of water drawing under her chin. Meredith ran the back of her hand under the chin to remove the excess of water and used the sleeve from Mark's shirt to dry her face.

Meredith saw her watch over her clothes at the edge of counter and leaned to take it. She fixed it on her left arm and checked it. As she did that, Meredith gasped and looked back at mirror to see her panicked face. "It's passed 8" She muttered and with a sudden movement the door flew open and she hurried out, without any concern of be discreet and not wake up anyone.

She stopped as she got back on hallway trying to figure out which one was Mark's bedroom. One room had its door open, so Meredith guessed it.

Through the half-open door, Meredith saw Mark sleeping in his bed. She pushed to door open and made a step inside. Her feet remained blocked and Meredith hesitated.

Mark was sleeping on back with a blanket covering only his lower body. Meredith watched him and a cocky smile crossed her face as she found herself staring at his bare abdomen. She gulped and looked away trying to make the smile disappear. She also made a step backwards to get out of his room. "It's late… very late" Meredith thought. It wasn't the time to play shy or embarrassed. He wasn't the first man she saw naked. She saw many men naked… completely naked. "And he is just an idiot." Meredith completed her thought in words.

With more courage, Meredith walked inside and went to his bedside. She cleared her throat and tried to adopt a rigid attitude for him to meet when he would wake up. Mark didn't give any sign of awaking and that made Meredith groan in exasperation. "Another heavy sleeper." She muttered thinking in the same time at Alicia.

"Dr. Sloan." Meredith called him louder. There was not sign of awaking from Mark. Meredith leaned over him and as she held her hair away from his face, she called his name again. "Dr. Sloan."

Mark moaned sleepy and moved his face to a side.

Meredith sighed nervous and propped a hand on her knee keeping her position over Mark. "He is not only idiot, he is also deaf." She muttered. Meredith bitted her bottom lip and hesitated a little before she touched his shoulder with the tip of her fingers. "Dr. Sloan" Meredith almost shouted at him and shook his slowly.

Mark turned his back on her and muttered. "You could at least have the decency and not call me idiot in my house and my bedroom."

Meredith jumped scared and made a few steps backwards. She smiled embarrassed since she was sure that Mark wouldn't hear her calling him an idiot. Then she remembered that there wasn't time to start other malicious talk. "It's almost 9 o'clock." She informed him very serious and formal.

At that information, Mark threw the blanket of him and in a split second was up on his feet. "What?" He shouted panicked checking his alarm clock. "Damn" Mark cursed nervous and threw it on bed. "I forgot to set this damn thing." He rubbed his eyes and head trying to clear his mind and calm down.

Mark looked at Meredith and saw her standing in front of him watching his exasperation. "Where is Alicia?" he asked her.

"She is sleeping." Meredith answered simply.

Mark shot her a cranky look and passed beside her. "Don't you have to be at work?" He asked her without looking back at her.

"Uh…" Meredith seemed as if she just woke up from a trance and followed him outside. "No" she answered and followed him closely until they got in Alicia's bedroom.

Mark stopped in the doorway and sighed. "She is so difficult to wake up… could you do it?" He asked Meredith, who was right behind him.

"Sure" Meredith answered.

Mark turned around and glanced down at her. He gave her a nod and walked outside. "I'll go shower."

Meredith watched him leaving and disappearing behind the bathroom's door, before she returned to Alicia's bed. Meredith got in bed and kneeled beside Alicia.

"Ally" Meredith shook her gently as she whispered her name.

Alicia turned her back on Meredith as her father did as well, and hided Lolo under her arm again.

Meredith smiled to find the similarity between father and daughter. "Ally sweetie, it's time to wake up." Meredith spoke tenderly to the little girl.

Alicia moaned sleepy and made a movement from her shoulder to banish the disturbance.

"Come on, sweetie." Meredith pulled her shoulder to her and brought her to face her. Meredith ran her finger through her hair, brushing a strand from her long blonde hair. Even in sleep, Alicia was radiating of happiness and joy. Watching her princess features the story of The Sleeping Beauty started playing in Meredith mind. She giggled as she posted Alicia as main character in that story; she looked so innocent and beautiful. Unfortunately, Meredith had to end up her story, because she was supposed to wake up the princess. "Ally, sweetie… please wake up" Meredith spoke to her ear.

A frown grew up on Alicia's forehead as sign of displeasure, but she refused to open her eyes and wake up.

Meredith sighed discouraged. She couldn't use the same method she used for Alicia's father; she couldn't call her idiot or shook her too hard. Meredith rubbed gently the arm that Alicia was holding Lolo with and had another attempt of waking her up. "Ally" Meredith called her name louder.

Alicia moaned sleepy, but … still nothing.

Meredith gave up. All she could do was to wait for Mark to come and get Alicia up too. After all, he was her father and he knew better.

Mark's shower was extremely fast considering the late hour. He came out of the bathroom dressed in his street clothes and went straight in Alicia's room to check on her. Though he was in hurry, Mark stopped in the doorway as something caught his entire attention.

Meredith was lying on stomach crosswise on bed silently contemplating on Alicia. Her slim legs were crossed over each other and the position she had adopted in bed made Mark's shirt lift upper on her back and reveal a small portion from her black lacy panties. Mark's shirt was the only fabric item that rose. Mark swallowed a limp as his pants became uncomfortable.

His eyes followed the entire length of her legs and the small bump that her panties were revealing. A cocky smile spread across his face and the tip of his tongue moistened his lips as if he was a wild animal ready to attack its haul. Mark felt his blood boiling in his veins… and not only in his veins.

Meredith muttered something sweetly to Alicia's ear and that was what Mark needed to be able and recover from heat. He closed his eyes, tried to wipe the image of Meredith lying like that on bed, and shook his head in the same time to help it banish. As he opened his, Mark did his best to ignore Meredith's skin. With large and sturdy steps, Mark walked to Alicia's bed. "Why isn't she up yet?" He shouted showing his irritation.

Meredith jumped up on her knees and made him a sign to keep his voice down. "You don't have to yell like this and scare."

Mark raised an eyebrow knowingly and made her a sign from his head to look down at Alicia. "Because of you, she went late to bed last night, so now only many shouts can wake her up."

"Excuse me?" Meredith snapped back at him offended to hear him blaming her. "You were the one who wasn't capable to take me home and got lost!"

Mark gasped in the same offended manner as Meredith did previously. "You know you have nerve!"

"I know" Meredith drew an ironic smile on face as she glared him "… because I am right."

Mark offered to give her a ride home and he was also the one who got lost on the way, therefore, he just rolled his eyes and went to Alicia's bedside. He sat down beside her and leaned down to her to smooth her hair. "Ally sweetie, it's time to wake up!" He spoke gently. "Come on baby, let's get ready for daycare!"

Meredith watched the way that Mark was trying to wake up the girl and smiled at the cute image. She knew he had snapped at her like that just to get angry, and same as her, he didn't have any clue how to make the girl wake up. "How about the shouting?" Meredith asked him sarcastic.

Mark frowned and glared her. "What?"

"You said she needs shouts to wake up." Meredith replied with a casual voice.

Mark rolled his eyes in annoyance and looked back down at Alicia.

Alicia continued to sleep peacefully and she didn't seem to hear and feel anything from the tension that built between the grown-ups again.

"Ok…" Mark spoke very decided "This is your chance to prove me how smart you are… wake her up." He urged Meredith smiling very proud of himself.

"What?" Meredith looked at him offended. "I don't need to prove you how smart I am." She retorted angrily.

"I knew it." Mark chuckled sarcastic as he looked back down at Alicia.

Meredith opened her mouth to answer, but she preferred to close it back and clench from teeth. With a firm and straight position, Meredith sneaked her arms under Alicia's back and took her up on arms.

Alicia didn't let Lolo go in that moment either, but she did stir a little. "Come on sweetie, it's getting late and we all have to wake up!" That wasn't such a pulse for the girl to wake up and Meredith knew it too, but she had no idea what else to say to her.

Alicia started fussing in Meredith's arms and running sleepy a hand over her face, she muttered. "Grandma?"

Meredith's jaw dropped at that while Mark burst into laugh. Meredith shot him a glare and slowly put Alicia back down on bed.

"She misses her grandma." Mark calmed down and thought that it might be nice of him if he would clear the reason for Alicia's call.

Meredith nodded and watched the girl defeated. "You know…" She spoke calmly as she raised her look at Mark. "I have the day off, so…"

Mark didn't let her finish and cut her immediately. "Don't even say it!"

"Look at her!" Meredith pointed to Alicia. "You can't wake her up in time and if you can, then that would be cruel. Besides, she doesn't go to a kindergarten and at daycare aren't too many children of her age." Meredith stated very convincing.

"Why are you doing all these?" Mark asked her with discredit.

Meredith sighed. Nothing from what Mark was saying to her should surprise her anymore. "Because I am not a mean person and I really want to spend the day with her." She answered sincerely.

Mark sighed also. Nothing from what Meredith was answering to him should surprise him anymore. "I still don't want to marry you."

Mark and Meredith smiled at each other and burst into laugh in the same time.

"I still don't want to marry you either." Meredith answered laughing.

Once again… no statement and no answer surprised the other anymore.

"Ok" Mark finally could control his laugh and nodded.

Both of them stood up from bed and Mark tucked Alicia in. He made a sign to Meredith and walked her out of the girl's bedroom.

They headed together in kitchen and Mark went to make coffee. "I am not a good cook, but I can make some sandwiches if you want." Mark turned on the coffee machine and went to fridge as he said that.

Meredith smiled grateful propping her forearms on the back of a chair. "But can it be without peanut butter and jelly?"

Mark looked at her amused. "I knew you couldn't be that perfect." He stated smiling.

Meredith found more relaxing the tone of his sarcasm. She smiled back and retorted. "I never said I was perfect."

Mark shut the door from fridge and brought some cheese and toast on table. "I don't like those either." He stated and smiled discreetly at Meredith.

Mark threw the ingredients on table and went to bring two plates from cabinet. "You can sit down if you want." He said as he returned to table and found Meredith in the same place, leaning over the chair.

"Thanks" Meredith smiled and pulled the chair to sit down. "Do you mind if I ask you something?" she asked him.

Mark raised an eyebrow, but smiled. "I am sure that I will, but please ask." As he said that, he heard for the first time Meredith's giggle.

"Will your mother move in Seattle too?" She asked.

"She will… soon." Mark answered simple.

Meredith found it enough and pulled a plate in front of her, as well as the pack of cheese and bread.

The coffee was ready, so Mark went to fill two cups for him and Meredith. By the time he returned to table, Meredith had already put a sandwich on his plate. He placed the cup of coffee in front of her and sat down on table across from her.

Mark watched her smiling at him grateful for coffee and sipping from it. His head titled to aside as he saw something behind Meredith. "Ally" Mark stood up smiling to greet his daughter.

Meredith stood up also and turned around to find Alicia rubbing her messy face in the doorway with Lolo still hanging in her hand.

Alicia gave them a sleepy smile and ran to her daddy. Mark was ready to scoop her up, but Alicia avoided that and ran to hide behind his legs.

Peeking shyly at Meredith, Alicia hung on Mark's pants. "Don't you remember Meredith anymore?" Mark asked her amused to see her playing shy. "She slept with you last night."

"Good morning, Ally!" Meredith leaned to her level and propped her hands on knees.

Alicia got some courage and ran to her. "Morning, Meredith!" Suddenly, she wasn't shy anymore. She held up her arms and Meredith picked her up. Immediately, Alicia planted a sweet kiss on Meredith's cheek.

"Did you sleep well?" Meredith asked her.

Alicia yawned and answered with a nod. "Where is grandma?" She asked looking around her confused.

That made Meredith and Mark understand what caused the miracle to see her awake. Mark chuckled and came to take her from Meredith. He gave her a kiss and put her down on a chair. "Grandma is still in New York. I told you she will come here later."

Alicia sighed resigned and then showed Meredith a grin. "Are you going to play with me today?"

Apparently, the shouts between Meredith and Mark had a result.

"Now that you are awake…" Mark answered before Meredith could do it and showed the girl a disapproving shake from his head. For his answer, Mark received a disappointed look from Meredith and a naughty grin from Alicia.

"I am not awake." She stated very cheerful and more awake than ever. She closed her eyes and put her forehead down on table. "See?"

Mark laughed at her cute acting. "I guess you are going to play with Meredith today."

Alicia looked up at him smiling happy. "Can we arrange my room?" She asked as she looked at both grown-ups.

"We can try." Meredith answered and looked at Mark for his approval.

Mark took out his wallet and pulled out a credit card. He put it on table and pushed it to Meredith. "Buy what you need for it." He said trying not to show too much importance to his gesture.

"Thank you!" Meredith smiled sincerely.

"Thank you, daddy!" Alicia squealed happy. She stood up and leaned to Mark's cup.

"No sweetie." Mark took it from her way. "That's not for you." He said and stood up. "I will bring you some milk."

Mark brought her a glass of milk and put it in front of her. As he did that, Mark kissed the top of her. "Daddy has to go to work now. Be a good girl and kick Meredith's ass if she is mean, ok?"

"Meredith's not mean, daddy." Alicia giggled as she looked up at him with sparkling eyes.

"Yeah" Meredith interfered playing offended.

Mark looked at Meredith and rolled his eyes amused. "Come" He made her a gesture to follow him. "Bye sweetie!" Mark gave Alicia another kiss before he walked out.

"Bye daddy!" Alicia shouted placing Lolo on table. She took the glass of milk with both hands and sipped from it. A white mustache appeared on her upper lip as she took the glass from mouth. She put it back on table and took Lolo back. Then she saw Mark's untouched sandwich and stood up to go and take it.

Meredith followed Mark outside the kitchen and walked him to door. Before he opened the door, Mark grabbed Meredith's arm and leaned her against the wall. He propped an arm on wall beside her head and pressed her body with his. His face approached dangerously close to hers and breathed seductively against her lips. "I enjoyed the view, but I want my shirt back." Mark chuckled and pulled back. He opened the door grinning at Meredith and disappeared behind it.

Meredith remained in the same place and position smiling. She had forgotten that she was almost naked and that she had some positions that showed Mark more than she would have wanted.

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_After such a great feedback, I felt the mood to write more. Thank you so much for your lovely reviews! _

_Initially I wanted to write more things in this chapter, but then I saw how much I had written for the morning scene, so I decided to stop here and bring the rest of the day in the next chapter, which might come a little bit later than this one, because I have two more MerMark fics to update._

_Your reviews are always refreshing, so please review!_

_Dana _

8


	7. Painful, huh?

**All I want is this**

**Chapter 7 – Painful, huh?**

Meredith's blush persisted until the moment she heard her mobile phone ringing from somewhere in living room. She stormed inside and grabbed her purse fuming inside for her phone. She threw herself on couch and as she didn't recognize the number, she answered curious "Hello?"

"Don't imagine that you are going to spend the day with my daughter without me." Mark's voice threatened from the other end of line.

"Dr. Sloan?" Meredith asked confused.

"Are you looking after more children than one today?" He retorted sarcastic to her confusion.

Meredith rolled her eyes annoyed. "You just got out of the door and you are checking on us already?"

"First of all, I am checking on you and second of all you would better answer the phone each time I call you."

Meredith shook her head amused by his insanity. "Are you at least outside on street?" She asked between giggles.

"Don't laugh, Grey!" Mark snapped at her. "How is Alicia?" He asked calmer this time.

"Uh… I am not 100 percent sure, but I think she is still breathing." Meredith burst into laugh.

"Funny, but she would better breathe when I will see her. By the way, bring her at hospital for lunch."

"Ok. She will be fine. I promise." Meredith said.

"Like I would give a shit on your promises." Mark retorted malicious at Meredith's assurance.

They had had a surprisingly pleasant morning, so Mark's verbal attack brought Meredith over the edge of anger. Could he be that mean? "Maybe you should come back and take your daughter if you don't trust me." She didn't find the energy to snap back at him, so she answered very disappointed.

Meredith expected Mark to answer right away, but that didn't happen. Now that was something that hurt her feelings. She stood up and walked over to window. While she did that, she heard Mark hanging up his phone. Looking outside on window, Meredith watched how Mark got in his car and drove away. She watched his car disappearing from their street and shook her head in disbelief. He wasn't the first bitter man she met, but he was definitely the weirdest and this made her ask herself what could have caused this change on him. Meredith saw him as the sweetest person around Alicia and the bitterest around other people, women especially.

Meredith sighed and returned to couch. She threw her phone down and in the same time, her eyes caught something on table. Meredith picked up a piece of paper, which looked like a list. Checking it, Meredith noticed it was a list of kindergartens for Alicia. He had marked a few names, but apparently he put aside this problem of enrolling Alicia to a kindergarten for the moment. Meredith thought about for a moment and then put the paper back down on table.

In kitchen, Meredith burst into laugh when she saw the mess from Alicia's face. Around her mouth, she had some white/creamy marks and her cheeks had bread and cheese on them.

"What have you done, sweetie?" Meredith walked over to her laughing and took a rag to clean her face. "You look like a piggy."

Alicia took it as a compliment and giggled happy. "I don't like this." She stated pushing away from her face a cup.

Meredith recognized her cup coffee. "Sweetie, but you should have drunken from this. Coffee isn't good."

"Then why you and daddy drink it?" Alicia looked at her and gave her a puzzled look.

Meredith stared at her smiling incapable of giving her a proper answer. "Because sometimes grown-ups are stupid."

Alicia shook her head as she looked back to her plate. "I don't want to be stupid when I will grow up."

Meredith laughed as she sat down on a chair next to her. "After we eat the breakfast, we get dressed and go shopping for your room, ok?"

Alicia grinned and nodded happy.

**-------------------------**

Meredith parked the car in the parking lot of hospital and unfastened her seatbelt. She was about to open the door when she heard her phone ringing… again. She had thrown it on the passenger seat, so she took it fast. "God, he is so annoying!" Meredith groaned when she saw Mark's id on its display.

"Let me talk to him!" From the back seats, Alicia held out her hands to take the phone from Meredith.

Meredith didn't hesitate and gave it right away, glad to get rid of Mark's insistence. She flipped it open for Alicia and let her calm down her daddy.

"Hi daddy!" Alicia greeted him very cheerful.

"Hey sweetie!" Mark answered tenderly. "Why are you answering the phone? Where is Meredith?" He asked her keeping a calm and warm attitude in his voice.

"Meredith said you are so annoying, so I answered for her." Alicia replied innocent.

In the next moment, Meredith pulled the phone from Alicia's hand. "Hi" She answered fast, trying to avoid a burst from Mark. Although she knew, it was too late to avoid it.

"When you will have children of your own, then you will understand why I am annoying." Surprisingly, Mark's burst wasn't that mean. He stated casual as if he had a chat.

"Maybe, but seriously now… you called us 5 minutes ago." Meredith told him.

"Are you here yet?" Mark asked her.

"Yes. We just parked the car. Don't worry nothing will happen to her from here to patio." Meredith said jokingly.

"I called you to tell you that I am stuck on a consult so I am going to be late for a few minutes."

"It's ok. We'll wait you there." Meredith said.

"Ok" with that, Mark hung up and let Meredith breath relieved. It wasn't that painful this time.

"Ok, sweetie… let's go!" Meredith got out of the car and came to help Alicia unfasten her seatbelt. She helped her out of the car and locked the door. "And next time don't tell daddy everything I said about him."

"Meredith?" Alicia stopped beside Meredith's legs and looked at her with pleading eyes.

"What is it?" Meredith asked her.

"I am tired." Alicia answered hesitantly with low voice as if she was afraid of a reproach.

Meredith smiled warmly and after she placed the bag on her shoulder, she took Alicia up in arms. Alicia smiled happy and hung on her neck.

Meredith ignored all the strange stares she received all the way to pit from nurses and fellow doctors and stepped in patio carrying Alicia in her arms.

She stopped at entrance and scanned the surroundings.

"Mer!" Izzie's voice shouted from a corner and helped Meredith spot her friends. She headed to the table where all her friends were and put Alicia down on a chair.

"Hi, Izzie! Hi George!" Alicia waved smiling to her other new friends.

"I knew you have a dark secret." Alex stated with a smirk. "Do we even know who the father?" He asked sarcastic as he stared at Alicia.

Meredith smiled knowingly at George and Izzie and sat down on a chair besides Alicia.

"So you don't." Alex chuckled taking his own conclusion from her silence.

"Meredith" Alicia tugged Meredith by arm and leaned to her. "Who is he?" She asked her with a loud whisper.

"That's Alex." Meredith answered and Izzie came to complete her. "An evil spawn."

Alicia looked at her curious and then at Meredith. "Evil spawn?!" She asked her confused.

Meredith giggled and shook her head disapproving Izzie's intervention. "It means he is unfriendly."

"I don't like him." Alicia tried to be discreet in confessions, but again, she whispered loud enough to make herself heard by the rest of the occupants.

"I don't like you either." Alex made a grimace at the little girl.

"So she is the famous daughter, huh?" Christina asked smiling knowingly. "Yes" Meredith answered as Izzie and George answered with a nod.

"Her name is Alicia Marie… Sloan." George looked at Alex and stated grinning proud of the information he owned and held back a little longer the girl's last name.

As the name of Sloan came out, Alex's coffee came out as well from his mouth and nostrils causing a massive laugh between his friends.

"That's disgusting!" Alicia shouted between giggles as she showed a grimace of disgust.

Alex glared his friends and Alicia too, but then he realized who she was. "It's nice to meet you, Alicia Marie… Sloan!" He tried to put up a kindly smile and reached out his hand to her while he was wiping his face with a napkin.

Alicia held her hand back and looked at him with distrust. She wasn't easily tricked by his sudden kindness.

"Someone won't see a surgery in Plastics if she tells her father about your greeting." Izzie laughed teasing Alex.

Alex shot a glare to each of them and brought back his fake smile to Alicia. "Here, sweetie!" Alex took his bag of chips and handed it to Alicia. "Would you like some chips? Or do you want me to buy you some candies?" Alex tried his best to sweeten her.

At first, Alicia listened to him stunned, but after he put the last question, with a slow movement, she brought her hand to mouth and gasped.

Meredith and her friends were having a real fun watching how Alex was trying to impress Alicia, but they all stopped from giggles at her reaction.

"What is it?" Meredith asked her curious.

"You are trying to bribe me!" Alicia stated with a low stunned voice staring at Alex.

Everyone looked at each other surprised by her statement. "Ally, who told you about bribe?" Meredith asked her.

Alicia turned to Meredith. "My daddy."

"And do you know what bribe means?" Izzie asked her.

Alicia nodded a yes. "He made an ugly face at me and he was mean; and now he doesn't want me to tell daddy about that. He said that this is a bad thing to do."

Once again, Alicia succeeded to impress everyone.

"You are so dead, Alex." George laughed at him.

"Shut up, Bambi!" Alex muttered nervous.

"Your name is Bambi?" Alicia asked George with a mixture of amusement and shock in her expression.

"No. My name is George." George answered glaring his friends, who were watching them amused.

"Bambi is his nickname." Meredith told him. "But his name is George."

"I like Bambi." Alicia giggled innocent. "Can I call you Bambi, George?" Her question earned a few impressed 'aww's from the others, even from George.

George looked like melting after her and winked smiling "Yes. I suppose you can." Alicia smiled proudly at him. "But only you are allowed to do it!" George added staring at the persons who were calling him Bambi the most, Christina and Alex.

"Whatever you say…. Bambi." Christina laughed at him.

"Ok you two… stop!" Izzie shouted at them laughing. "Now Meredith has to tell us why she is walking around the hospital with Sloan's daughter." Izzie smirked and all the eyes directed on Meredith.

"We went shopping and we bought many things." Alicia came first with the answer.

"Ok…" Christina started. "Then Meredith has to tell us why was she at shopping with Sloan's daughter."

"Yeah, Mer. Why?" George looked at her curious.

"Do tell, Meredith." Izzie smirked at her.

"Spit it out, Grey!" Alex urged her as well.

Meredith rolled her eyes and shot a deadly glare to Alex. "You shut up… Evil Spawn!"

"Come on, Meredith!" Christina urged her.

Meredith opened the mouth to say something, but being unsure of how to explain them the reason, she shut it back. "Long story." She muttered trying not to show too much importance to it and hoping that her friends would stop with the question.

"Are you screwing her daddy, already?" Alex laughed ironic at her.

Fortunately for Meredith, Mark was on his way to them. He didn't get to hear what Alex had said, so he stopped right behind Alicia's chair and leaned down to her to kiss her. "Hi sweetie!"

"Daddy!!" Alicia squealed happy and turned around kneeling on chair to face her daddy.

Mark took her in arms and gave her one more kiss. "How are you?" He asked her.

"She is still breathing. See?" Meredith stood up as well and turned around to face Mark smiling knowingly at him.

Mark raised an eyebrow unimpressed by Meredith's sense of humor and turned his attention to his daughter. "How was at shopping?" He asked her. "Did you ruin daddy's credit card?"

Alicia laughed amused and shook her head as she took his face in her hands. "Meredith kept it in her wallet. Show it to him, Meredith! It's still there." Alicia looked back at Meredith.

"I think it ok, sweetie." Mark gave Alicia a kiss and shook his head at Meredith to let her know that Alicia got it all wrong.

"Guess what!" Alicia remembered something and looked at her father.

"What should I guess?" Mark asked her.

Alicia looked back at table where Meredith's friends were still sitting and looked at one person in particular. "He tried to bribe me."

"Who?" Mark asked her.

Alicia pointed her finger to Alex "Uh…" She winced a little and hesitated, as she didn't remember his name right away. "The unfriendly doctor." She couldn't remember Alex's nickname as Evil Spawn, but she remembered Meredith's explication.

"Why? What did he do?" Mark asked as he fixed a deadly glare on Alex and made him smile and look nervous.

"He…" Alicia wanted to tell her daddy everything about the way that Alex greeted her, but Alex cut her off immediately jumping from his chair. "She is just a kid… she got it all wrong." Alex tried to clear it with Mark and come out clean.

The frown deepened on Mark's forehead as his glare became more threatening. "Do you doubt my daughter's intelligence?"

While Meredith and her friends assisted extremely amused at that scene, Alex became panicked and shook his head. "No… sir. I am sure that she is… very intelligent."

"You can bet that she is even more intelligent than you are." Mark retorted angrily.

"Ouch, now that was rough." Christina laughed sarcastic. "I think I am going to enjoy what comes next."

"Ok, enough with the compliments and you, Christina, don't you have work to do?" Meredith interfered in attempt to calm down the spirits.

"No" Christina answered simply showing no intention of leaving.

Alex on the other hand, hurried to find an excuse related to work and left fast. "I think we'll go too." Izzie stated as she stood up picking up her tray with leftovers in the same time with George. Since Christina was still sitting on her chair motionless staring at Meredith and Mark, Izzie and George grabbed her and took her with them. "I will see you later, Mer! Bye Ally!" Izzie waved at them.

"Bye Izzie! Bye Bambi!" Alicia waved back at her newest friends.

"Lovely friends." Mark stated sarcastic. He sat down on a chair at their table and put Alicia back down on her seat. "But what respectful doctor calls itself Bambi?" He looked strangely at Meredith.

Meredith sat down on the other side of the table smiling and ignoring his last statement. "I am sorry I have no written report, but I can relate everything we did so far." Meredith took out her wallet and pulled out Mark's credit card. She put it on table and pushed it to Mark, while Mark opened the casseroles with food that Meredith had bought for their lunch.

"We found new furniture for Alicia's room and bought new sheets for her bed. We decided she would better keep the bed she already has and we'll just dress it in something more… childish." Meredith explained. "We also bought new curtains and some stuff as décor."

"And we bought paint too." Alicia added informing her daddy very proud. "And it's pink."

"That's nice, sweetie." Mark smiled at her.

"We also bought a few clothes for her. We just couldn't resist." Meredith giggled at Alicia.

"Look daddy!" Alice rolled up her sleeve to reveal a pink polystyrene bracelet with tiny pictures of Tweety on it. "Meredith bought it for me."

"That's cute, Ally. Did you say thank you for it?" Mark smiled lovingly at Alicia and showed a discreet one to Meredith.

"I also took the risk and I enrolled her to a kindergarten." Mark's tiny smile faded away as he heard that from Meredith. "But don't worry, I chose one of the kindergartens you marked on that list." She hurried to calm him down, though she knew that was impossible. "I assumed you had some difficulties in choosing one, so I thought I could help you. Now I know you are all grouch and bitter, but trust me, this is one of the best kindergartens in area. It is 30 minutes away from your house, I know, but that was the best choice." Mark opened the mouth to say something, but Meredith had more to add so she shut it. "Since Alicia shows a special interest in ballet, the kindergarten has special classes for it so I enrolled her to them. We visited it and we already met her teacher and her ballet teachers."

"And I met Lizzie." Alicia smiled happy at him.

"Lizzie is her new friend from kindergarten." Meredith cleared his confusion. "Her ballet teacher also recommended us that a dance class will help her with the ballet, so she is now in one those classes as well. Now I know you might think it is a waste of money, but I don't think so. These can be very educational and healthy activities for her, and they can keep her busy while you are at work as well. Her schedule starts at 8 o'clock in the morning, but you can drop her there at 7 when you have to be early at work and you can pick her up by 9 o'clock. Apparently, they have many children whose parents have busy schedules at work, so they can keep their kids for a longer time than a regular kindergarten. Her dance class is early in the morning, at 9 o'clock and her dance teacher is very strict about punctuality so make sure that she will be there in time. Oh yeah… she has dance classes only three days per week, on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Her ballet classes are daily from 4 to 6 in the afternoon, after she takes her nap. Ok, what else…" Meredith paused to remember if she forgot to mention anything about that. "Oh yes… she can have dance and ballet classes in weekends as well if you have to be at work and have nobody to look after her at home." Meredith added. "And her teacher's name is Madeline, but I can't remember her ballet and dance teachers' names."

"Caroline and Josef." Alicia helped her.

"That's right. Caroline is her ballet teacher and Josef the dance teacher." Meredith nodded. "And that's it." She finally finished her narration. She also took out of her bag some papers and pushed them to Mark. "You have here all the receipts from everything we paid with your credit card. You can call your accountant to check them." She said jokingly.

During her narration, Mark stared at her expressionless and continued to do that after she finished too and didn't even pay attention to what Meredith had handed him.

"If you didn't get everything that I said, then I can write it down." Meredith joked.

"Did you choose a kindergarten for MY daughter, enrolled MY daughter to the one you chose and you enrolled MY daughter to some classes?" Mark was in such a shock that he didn't even find the power to burst nervous.

Meredith felt proud of the reaction she caused Mark and didn't hide her proud. She helped Alicia open the casserole she was fighting with, without letting Mark off her sight.

Mark couldn't take his gaze away from her either. He slowly shook his head, but he was still unable to find the right words.

"It's painful, huh?" Meredith giggled proud to bring Mark to silence.

"What is painful?" Mark glared her.

"The fact that you know I did a good job and you can't snap at me for interfering in your territory." Meredith answered.

Mark stubbed his fork in his casserole with salad and started eating from it. "Whatever." He muttered dryly, ignoring Meredith's smirk.

"Are you seriously not going to say anything?" Meredith asked him.

"What do you want me to say?" Mark retorted with a grumpier voice as he stubbed the fork in his salad again.

"About all these." Meredith said. "Aren't you going to shout at me and call me names?"

Mark threw the fork in casserole and propped his arm on Alicia's chair. "Did you do all these on purpose to annoy me?" He asked Meredith.

"What? No. I wanted to help." Meredith retorted.

"Then what do you want me to say? You already enrolled her to a kindergarten, paid for it. My hands are tied and the shouts would be useless." He ran his fingers through Alicia's hair and leaned to kiss the top of her head. "My money are gone and there is no way to get them back. Besides, I am almost positive that I would be too cruel to make you use your brain."

Meredith smiled nonchalant and took his words without any offense. "Now that's more like you." She giggled. "For a second I thought that I brought the girl to a twin brother of yours."

Mark looked strangely at her and smiled slightly. He had to admit that her brain wasn't that useless.

Meredith had her wallet still on table, so she opened it and took out a few bills from it. She put them on table and pushed them towards Mark's side.

"What are these?" Mark asked her curiously.

"Well, Alicia saw a dress for me and insisted me to buy it." Meredith explained. "We had bought something from Ally from that boutique, so the saleslady charged it on your credit card. These are the money for my dress."

Mark pushed the bills back to Meredith. "You don't have to give them back."

"I do" Meredith reacted fast and pushed the bills back to Mark. "It wasn't such a cheap dress."

"And I am telling you that you don't have to give me the money back." Mark retorted and the money returned in front of Meredith.

"Seriously, take them!" Meredith didn't seem to give up either.

Mark repeated the gesture and pushed them back to her. "You offered to take care of my daughter today, so keep them."

"No" The money returned again to Mark. "I don't need to be paid for it. I offered to do it because I wanted."

"So that you can call me stingy and other names later?" Mark shot her a glare. "Take your money back and shut up about it." His fingers pushed back to her the bills.

"I won't do such thing. Maybe you would rub it in my face that you once bought me a dress." Meredith started getting annoyed with Mark's stubbornness and pushed the money back to him.

"I would never do that." Mark protested and the money returned in front of Meredith.

"Take them." Meredith pushed them back to him.

"No" The money returned to Meredith.

Alicia had eaten from her food in silence and watched curious the argument between the two grown-ups. She put the fork down and knelt on her chair as she leaned over the table. The money were passing from Meredith to Mark, when her small hand stopped them. "Can I take them?" She asked smiling at them.

Mark and Meredith stopped and stared at each other surprised by Alicia's sudden reaction.

Meredith thought about it for a second and then pushed the bills to Alicia. "Sure sweetie!" Like that, she knew that she wouldn't owe anything to Mark.

"Yay!!" Alicia squealed happy looking amazed at the bills from her hand. "I am going to buy lots of candies." She settled back down on chair and tried to toss them in the pocket of her jacket.

Meredith saw that and took the money from her. "Why don't we give these to daddy to keep them in his wallet?" Alicia agreed and looked at her father waiting for him to take the money.

Mark hesitated at first, but considering that it was like a gift from Meredith for Alicia, he finally took them and opened his wallet. Under Meredith's proud eyes, Mark put the bills in it and his credit card.

"But I suggest you to buy yourself a pretty dress. You can buy some candies, but you have there too much money." Meredith told her.

"Ok. Thank you, Meredith!" Alicia smiled brightly at Meredith.

"You are welcome, Ally!" Meredith retorted smiling lovingly at her. As she said that, Meredith made a gesture to stand up from table. "I'll let you eat now and I will come back later to take Alicia?"

"Where are you going?" Alicia looked at her with worry when she saw her leaving them.

"I am going to give you some time alone and hang around here." Meredith said as she took her wallet, stuffed it in her bag and put the bag on shoulder.

"Sit down, Grey!" Mark commanded with an annoyed voice. "You can eat with us and please let's not start another contradictory talk about this." Mark said it firmly and didn't let room for another comment from Meredith.

Alicia grinned up at Meredith and convinced her to stay and eat with them.

After their lunch with Mark, Meredith took Alicia back home. Alicia was so excited about getting a new look for her bedroom that she didn't want to do anything else but starting working on it. Meredith gathered the few things Alicia had unpacked and moved them in living room. Then, she gathered the sheets from her bed and covered the furniture. The walls looked good so all they had to do was apply the paint.

Alicia found very entertaining the painting so she offered to help. Just that all the shopping and the tour they took for kindergarten, made Alicia drop sleepy. Meredith took her in Mark's bed and tucked her in. She would have wanted to finish the walls, but soon after Alicia, she dropped dead-beat as well.

_-------------_

_Next we will have a Meredith & Alicia moment and Meredith and Mark will return in chapter 9. I hope you enjoyed this one!_

_Please Review!_

10


	8. I'm sorry Meri

**All I want is this**

**Chapter 8 – I'm sorry … Meri**

Nervously, Mark stuck the key in latch while holding his briefcase between legs and the mobile phone at ear. "You damn woman!" Mark cursed and pushed the door open. As he walked inside, Mark heard a ring coming from another phone. He walked in living room and identified the sound coming from a bag on couch.

Angrier than seconds ago, Mark closed his phone and opened the bag he knew it belong to Meredith. Taking her phone out, he flipped it open and saw the 12 missing calls; he read them 11 from Sloan and one from Christina.

Mark threw Meredith's phone on couch and looked around him. A complete silence was dominating the whole apartment. "Ally?" He called Alicia's name first as he started to walk around the apartment. For the first time, he noticed the boxes from all around the place. He looked in one of it curious and saw some of Alicia's toys. "Al!" Mark called her again sneaking his head in Alicia's room. The room was empty and messy. The furniture had been moved a little and covered with sheets, while the floor was dirty with purple and pink paint. Stepping inside, Mark took a closer look at that mess. Only half of wall had been painted in a tone of color obtained probably from pink and purple. Now everything regarding that disaster had an explication, but now all that Mark needed to know was where his daughter and her nanny were.

Mark walked out of Alicia's room and crossed the small hall to his bedroom. The door was closed and something made him think that he should open it slowly. As he did that and looked inside, his face expression froze.

His daughter was sleeping in the middle of his bed covered by one of Meredith's arm. Meredith's face was almost sunken in Alicia's hair while Alicia was expressing a content smile facing Meredith.

That scene made something stir inside him. He approached their bed in silence and sat down on Alicia's side of bed making his presence there unobserved by any of the sleeping forms. Mark put his hand down on Alicia's stomach, only an inch away from Meredith's arm. Caressing gently Alicia's t-shirt soft material, Mark's eyes were on Meredith's sleeping face. For a second, the image of mother and daughter showed up in his mind; there wasn't only the mother and daughter image in his mind, there was also the image of the woman he hated the most. He needed to break it immediately. He took his hand off Alicia and shoved gently Meredith's shoulder. The mother and daughter image was something unbearable in that moment as Natasha's image was about to start haunting him again.

Mark shoved her harder as he saw her waking up. Opening her eyes, Meredith met his strained face again. She sighed discreetly, already knowing what was to come next.

Mark stood up as slowly as he sat down and made her a gesture from head to follow him outside. Reluctantly, Meredith slid out of the bed and followed him outside.

Walking together in living room, Mark also made her a gesture to sit down on couch. Meredith complied and Mark followed her, sitting on the opposite side from her. Meredith saw her phone and taking it, her suspicions about what was to come next were confirmed. "I know and I'm sorry!" She spoke fast before Mark could open the mouth to say something. "Alicia fell asleep and couldn't resist longer either." She explained dryly wiping the display screen of her phone to avoid an eye contact with Mark that might make her burst angry.

"You should have called me before." Mark replied with the same dry voice as Meredith's had been, rubbing the face to avoid an angry burst as her.

"I'm sorry." Meredith answered silently, still playing with her phone.

Mark sighed frustrated. He had a hard day at work and apparently, Meredith and Alicia just loved to make it worse. What was making him more frustrated was the fact that he didn't have any justified reason to yell at Meredith. It was frustrating because everything that Meredith had done until then with his daughter was well done, but it was also frustrating because Meredith was heading to a direction where Mark didn't want her to go: to Alicia's heart and his life.

"You know, you can yell this time if you want." Meredith said as she saw the crispate expression of his face. "I don't like to admit it, but this time you have all the right to do it. We met 24 hours ago and I am a stranger who had in its care your child." Mark looked at her shocked to hear her reasoning. "Of course, partially it was your fault too because you don't leave your child alone with a stranger unless you trust that stranger." For a moment, Mark thought that he might like Meredith after all, but with her last statement Mark couldn't help but look at her with a glare again.

"So go on! Yell at me if you want." Meredith urged him. "… but don't call me names… and do not yell too loud."

Surprisingly for both of them, Mark chuckled.

"Do you always have to be so annoying?" Mark asked her smiling brighter than before.

Meredith found their little attack less aggressive and quite amusing. "Only when I have you around me. You are not a very pleasant person either, you know."

"I know." Mark chuckled. "But I have no intention to be a pleasant person."

"Do you really want to die alone?" Meredith asked him.

"I have my daughter." Mark answered.

Meredith lifted an eyebrow reproachful. "Are you that selfish?"

"Excuse me?" If earlier he didn't have a reason to yell at her, then now she gave him one.

"Don't you want her to have a normal life, have her own family? I don't doubt that she will be at your bedside when you will fell sick, but you can't leave something like this only on her shoulders."

Mark opened the mouth ready to snap back, but then his thoughts changed and so did his words. "Do you always have to be so nosy?"

Meredith was caught off guard by his sudden change. She looked at him suspiciously like she was anticipating more from him, but after seeing him quiet, she relaxed. "Only when I have to." Meredith answered. "I don't know what caused you this judgment, but if you are inadaptable to society you don't have to raise your daughter like this. She deserves a chance and she won't have a chance as long as she sees this attitude of your towards people around you."

"Are you calling me a mentally retard?" Mark asked her with stupor and deeply offended by her remark.

Meredith giggled rolling her eyes and put her head down on couch facing Mark. "You said it. I only said inadaptable."

"Is this why you offered to take care of Alicia? Are you feeling pity for her?" Mark asked her furious.

"No" Meredith laughed cheerful. "After this our last conversation, I do feel pity for her a little, but no… this isn't the reason for which I offered to take care of her. I like her." Meredith stated with sincerity. "I was a little scared at first because I never did baby sitting, but now I'm glad I did it. She is so different comparing her with you. She is cheerful, loving and full of life. You are exactly at the opposite pole." She added. "Too bad. You are young, handsome…" Meredith blushed instantly as she realized what she was saying. "My point is that you could try to be less bitter and live and love more."

At first, Mark smiled at her cute remark about him, but as he heard his advice, the frown returned on his forehead. "I used to be like that once." He said.

"Then what changed?" Meredith asked, but didn't wait for his answer. "Wait! Don't answer! I don't want to be nosy anymore. Look this thing between you and me is simple. If you don't trust me, then don't allow me to spend time alone with your daughter, you have this right because as I said, I am a stranger. I like our friendship and I like being around her. It's amazing to see how exhausting and amazing in the same time is to be around a child." Meredith stated smiling deeply touched by her own words. "I would like to experience this with my own baby one day."

"Why don't you do it now?" Mark asked her. "Is your boyfriend the one who doesn't want it?"

For the first time since they met, Mark was about to find out. "I don't have a boyfriend." She answered.

Mark stood quiet looking like contemplating on something as he fixed a spot on couch not far from the place where Meredith's arm was resting. "Her mother left us when Alicia was one year old." He muttered.

The shock and surprise was written all over her face. "I'm sorry!" She replied quietly.

Only after she expressed her regret, Mark realized what he just said. He didn't want to say it, but something made him do it. Besides his mother and the few friends who met Natasha, nobody else knew about that.

A few minutes passed in silence, minutes that felt like a whole hour because of the awkwardness of silence. None of them knew what the right thing to say next was. Probably a verbal attack about the other's imperfections, but they weren't in the mood not even for that.

"You love your child and this is what matters the most. One parent's love can be enough, trust me." Meredith spoke smiling warmly at him. Her own thoughts and feelings disquieted her a little and made her eyes tear.

Mark looked at her questioning like waiting to find out more. "I think I understand you now…kind of." She said. "My father left me when I was 5 and my mother- she was my mother, but only as legal tutor, so yeah- one parent's love can be enough."

Mark couldn't stand see the tears from her eyes, so he started playing with her bag. He always hated listening this kind of confession and he always hated to offer comfort unless it was Alicia that needed it.

"She is not damaged because she doesn't remember her mother, so she still has a chance." Meredith stated with a sigh speaking more to herself. "Am I being nosy and annoying again?" She asked looking at Mark.

"No" Mark chuckled and shook his head. "Only nosy…" He said smiling at her. "… because annoying comes together with nosy."

"Sorry." Meredith apologized giggling.

"It's ok. I started getting used with it." Mark laughed.

"Aren't you afraid of the consequences that your attitude toward women might have on Alicia in future?" Meredith asked him, this time more serious.

Mark looked at her and hesitated. He knew already the answer. "You have no business in asking me this."

"Doesn't your mother ask you?" Meredith continued changing her previous question.

Again, Mark hesitated. "When did we become friends?" He asked her.

"We are not friends!" Meredith jumped as if that was a big offense.

"See?" Mark chuckled. "So stop asking me questions."

"Ok" Meredith laughed. "I'll ask you affirmations then." She continued laughing. "Now seriously speaking." Meredith adopted again a serious tone, which made Mark groan annoyed. Meredith giggled and shook her head. "I am not going to ask for your permission to be your daughter's friend, but could you trust me and let me do something like baby sitting for once in a while?"

"How could I trust a stranger?" Mark asked her referring at Meredith lecture from earlier.

Meredith smiled at his remark getting his hint and held out her hand. "I'm Meredith!"

Mark looked at her curiously, but in the end, he took her hand and shook it. "Mark!"

Meredith knew how much a grin would piss him off and she didn't want that, at least not in that moment, so she continued to smile at him slightly.

"Daddy!" Alicia's sleepy voice made them look back over the couch to see the girl smiling at them.

As she saw she has their attention, Alicia came running in front of them and stopped at Mark's legs. Her fists clutched in his pants to help herself up. Mark took her in arms and put her on his lap. "Did you sleep well, angel?" He asked her brushing the hair out of her forehead.

Alicia nodded and took his face between her palms to kiss him. Mark brought lay down on his arms and hugged her tenderly to his chest.

"Did you see my room?" Alicia asked him cheerful still rubbing her eyes to banish the sleep.

"I saw it and I also saw the mess." Mark tried to sound reproaching but still keeping his loving smile on lips.

"I could stay and help you if you want me to." Meredith offered her help looking at Mark.

"It's not like I have a choice. You came with this idea and you would better finish it. I'm not in the mood of doing all the work because of you." Mark glared her.

Meredith smiled taking his words as the first proof of their new friendship. "What time is it?" Meredith remembered something suddenly and looked at her phone. "It's almost 6 o'clock. They said they would bring us the furniture at 6 o'clock."

"It better not come in pieces or you missy will be sleeping on floor for a while." Mark warned looking at Alicia.

Alicia wasn't scared by her father's warning and giggled. She stood up more awake now and looked at Meredith. "Meri? Can I call you Meri?" She asked her.

Meredith laughed at her cute question and nodded. "Yes. You can call me, Meri! I guess that Meredith isn't that easy to pronounce, right?"

"It is long and difficult for a 4 years-old child." Mark concluded.

"Don't even think about it. You are not 4 so you don't get to call me Meri." Meredith laughed.

Mark sniffed annoyed. "I didn't even intend to do it. Meri is stupid anyway." He stated referring at the short name proposed by Alicia.

Alicia gasped looking furious at her daddy. She didn't understand what he was talking about. "Meri is not stupid!" She shouted reproachful. "She is a doctor so she is not stupid. Tell him, Meri!" Alicia looked at Meredith for support.

"Yeah" Meredith acted offended extremely amused by the girl's reaction.

"You should apologize, daddy!" Alicia took a reproaching attitude looking frowned at her daddy.

Meredith smirked proud at Mark while he was about to start boiling of anger. Now that was something that Meredith would have loved to see.

"Daddy" Alicia nudged him discreetly after she saw his silence.

"Fine… I'm sorry! Are you happy now?" Mark retorted glaring Meredith.

Meredith shrugged a little unsatisfied with his manner of apologizing. Alicia didn't like it either, so with a frowned look, she turned to him mutually telling him to do it right.

Mark sighed resigned. His mother and he taught Alicia some things, so he had to prove her that everyone should do them. "I'm sorry, Meredith!" He muttered. "But I think you know what I was talking about." He glared her.

Meredith giggled and nodded in tease. "Apologizes accepted, Mark."

Mark rolled his eyes and then looked at his daughter. "Happy now?"

Alicia grinned and nodded. "Can we start the painting again?" She looked at the two grown-ups, with excitement waiting for them to accept.

"You recharged your batteries, huh?" Mark chuckled, lovingly caressing Alicia's ponytail.

"I could stay and help you if you want me to." Meredith offered.

"Yes!" Alicia almost shouted as if that was a stupid thing to say. She jumped from Mark's lap and went to take Meredith's hand and lead her back to her room.

Meredith stood up, but stopped hesitating. She looked at Mark for his answer.

"You got us in this mess so you are not getting out of it so easily." Mark glared as he stood up too.

Meredith smiled knowingly at him and let Alicia take them to her room. "Don't worry about the furniture." Meredith told Mark. "If you can't handle it, I can help you."

Mark tried not to look irritated by her subtle remark and replied in his style. "I'm a man… a real man, capable of many things." He stated.

Meredith giggled. "I've never doubted of it." She retorted without paying attention to a potential interpretation of her statement.

A grin broke on his face as she said that and made him chuckle.

Meredith blushed instantly reading his grin very well. "I … I didn't mean to say it like that" she muttered embarrassed.

That fed Mark's ego even more. "Who excuses itself it also accuses itself."

"Shut up!" Meredith shouted irritated by his mockery and sped her steps ahead, still holding Alicia's hand.

Mark followed them proud of his act.

The furniture was delivered only a few minutes past 6 o'clock and Mark specified that he wanted someone to come and assemble the furniture. The workers said that in the exchange of some money, someone would come the next day and do it.

Alicia helped with the painting of her new room, but soon she discovered what a hard work it was, so she gave up and decided to do something else for its decoration. Mark took the care of painting, while Alicia painted some of the butterflies that she and Meredith had bought and Meredith dressed the bed decorating its sides and headboard with pink and purple silk materials.

Meredith was sitting on the bed's side embroidering small flowers and butterflies on Alicia's future curtain when Mark made a sound to look at him.

Looking at Mark, Meredith saw him gesturing from head to look in Alicia's bed. Meredith stood up and giggled quietly as she saw the girl snuggled sleepy in the middle of the bed. For the first time, Meredith felt the pain from her neck and back. Massaging her neck with one hand, Meredith checked her watch. "I'm not surprised she is sleeping." She stated sighing. "It's almost midnight."

"I should take her in to the other room." Mark said as he cleaned his hands from paint and came over to take his daughter. By that time, he had finished with the painting and had hung on walls some posters with cartoon characters.

Meredith put the curtain on bed and followed them outside turning off the light behind her.

In the guest room, Mark put Alicia in bed without taking off her clothes. He tucked her in and gave her a kiss. "Good night, angel!" He whispered caressing her head.

Meredith watched them from the doorway not daring to come inside. Mark walked back to door and turned off the light.

"I have to go now." Meredith said walking with Mark in living room.

Mark started arranging some magazines on the coffee table though it wasn't necessary and hesitated once before speaking. "You could sleep over… it's very late." He said looking in blank over a magazine.

Meredith had just taken her coat and bag from couch when Mark said that. She put them back down and turned to face Mark. "I have my car this time." Meredith said.

Now that was something that Mark forgot about. He didn't even know what he was getting stressed with that. Now she was able to get home safe. "It's late and I suppose that you have to wake up early in the morning." He didn't know where that came from, but now he was feeling embarrassed for saying it.

Meredith smiled pleasantly surprised.

"You can sleep with Ally." He felt encouraged when he saw her showing no intention of taking her things and leave.

She couldn't understand him in that moment; she was too tired to try understand him. "Thanks." She smiled.

"You know where the bathroom is and…" Mark turned to couch and took his shirt. "you can wear this again, if you want."

Meredith took it and brought it to her chest. "I'll…go shower." She said stumbling on her way to bathroom.

"Great!" After he heard the bathroom door closing, Mark sighed sounding as if he was regretting the proposal.

Mark collapsed on couch exhausted because of all the work from hospital, all the work from home and exhausted because of Meredith's presence. The thoughts of the consequences that Meredith's frequent visits and sleepovers might have were the most exhausting.

He jumped up on his feet when minutes later heard the bathroom door opening. He went out on hall to see Meredith coming out of the bathroom. The view that showed up in front of his eyes was the same with the one from the previous night. Meredith's wet hair marking out the form of her nipples; his shirt, too long for her body and arms but yet too short for her legs.

"Couldn't have you waited until I was in Ally's room?" Meredith muttered nervous and embarrassed to show up half-naked in front of him again. She walked faster and passed by him to get to her destination. Just that her track was stopped by Mark's firm hand, who grabbed her arm and made her stop.

He pushed her against the wall and crashed his lips into hers with uncontrollable need of doing it. Catching her off guard, Meredith answered his kiss; she did it for a moment only until she realized what they were doing.

Mark pulled back, still holding her body hostage against the wall. He ran the back of his hand over her cheek while looking at her lips. "If you are doing all these only to enjoy an orgasm from me, then let me tell you that you shouldn't have bothered that much. I can serve you for free. You don't need to make my daughter suffer because this is something that I'll make you regret for the rest of your life."

Meredith's eyes were shooting fires of anger. With a nervous force, she slapped him and pushed him away. "You are such a disgusting man!"

Mark pulled back instantly chilling his cheek with is cold hand. Now he was the one caught off guard. Meredith disappeared in Alicia's room in a less than a second leaving Mark still shocked because of the answer he received.

In bed, Meredith laid on a side facing Alicia. She contemplated over the girl's peaceful face expression slowly caressing her hair. "Why can't you daddy be as cute and sweet as you?" she muttered in silence. She sighed and laid on back closing the eyes and hoping she would fall asleep immediately. Such an offense was already a nightmare for her.

One wall away, in his room, Mark was lying in his bed with his arms crossed behind his head staring at the ceiling. He wasn't in the mood of changing his clothes or taking a shower. He rolled to a side tucking the hands under his head. "I'm sorry… Meri!" He muttered. The guilt was speaking.

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_Hi! Thank you all for your feedback and I apologize for not updating this fic for such a long time! Now I am back to it and I will try frequent updates from now on._

_I know this chapter started optimistic for Meredith and Mark and ended like this, but Mark is now feeling not only guilty, but also… uh… I think I will tell you in the next chapter (which shouldn't be as late as this one was)_

_Your opinions are always helpful so please Review!_

9


	9. You can call me Meri

**All I want is this**

**Chapter 9 – You can call me Meri**

The sleep couldn't come fast. He was extremely exhausted and that was the reason for his insomnia. The kiss he gave her, the words he said to her, the slap he received from her, Meredith, all these were the most exhausting keeping him awake.

He had probably fallen asleep for half an hour when the silence was broke by light creak of his bedroom door. His eyes fluttered open, heavy from sleep turning his face into the direction of the door.

It was raining outside and a lightning was bringing a strong light inside his room at every 30 seconds, immediately followed by a noisy thunder. As the lightning filled the room with a white light, Mark recognized the familiar silhouette. Even when the room filled with darkness again, he could distinguish the outline of her body, the outline of her hips. At the next lightning, Mark sat up between pillows seeing her approaching his bed.

"I'm sorry." She whispered slowly sitting down at the edge of his bed. "I didn't mean to disturb you."

"Are you afraid of storm too?" He asked her.

He saw her smiling shyly at him biting her bottom lip. "Alicia?" She asked giggling silently. Mark smiled and answered with a nod. "I grew up here so I shouldn't be scared of it." she continued.

Mark watched her hair falling over her face as she leaned her head to watch her feet. Something pushed him to touch her shoulder. "Meredith" What made him call her came from inside of him. She looked at him and he pushed her hair out of the face. "I was rude earlier, wasn't I?" He asked still running his fingers through her long hair, which was still smelling as wet.

"Very." Meredith smiled discreetly. "Rudeness is what defines you, but now you were a complete jackass."

His hand found the curve of her neck. It cupped it and gently made her lean to him. "Next time I'll only be rude." He chuckled. "I promise."

Meredith kneeled at the edge of his bed and watched him smiling. His hand was now between the warmth of her neck and jaw as she hugged it. Mark rubbed her cheek with his thumb and brought her face down to him. "Can I kiss you?"

Meredith giggled at a distance of few inches from his lips. "Are you asking for permission now?"

Mark smiled only guessing her bright face smiling at him. "So can I?"

Meredith pushed her face back from his hand and smiled looking down at her knees. "I'm sorry too." She muttered. Her eyes met his again and the smile returned on her lips. "I like Alicia a lot. I can easily say that I fell in love with her, but I can't deny what you said either."

Mark looked at her questioning waiting for her to continue. He felt his heart beating like it was ready to jump from his chest when he saw her unbuttoning her shirt. "Can I?" Meredith asked motioning her head to his pillow.

Mark felt drops of sweat chilling his face; he shifted to the other side of the bed and made room for her. He helped her with the last two buttons unable to keep his eyes away from her shirt. A second was keeping him away from the view he had been imagining since he first saw Meredith wearing his shirt.

Mark sneaked his hand under her hair pushing it off shoulder. Then his fingers slid on her chest and parted the shirt to touch her skin. It was as a chemical reaction produced inside his body when his fingertips touched her warm soft skin.

"Mark" Meredith took his face in her hands crashing her lips into his. "Take me, Mark." She moaned panting.

Mark answered immediately taking her in his arms and bringing her down on bed. He sat her beside him without parting their now united lips. Mark pushed the shirt to sides and revealed the beautiful view of her skin. It was dark inside his room but he could easily picture the silky look of her skin and using his palm, he could easily define the shape of her breast. His hand cupped one of her breasts entirely and squeezed it gently to play with its softness while his lips and teeth tasted from the sweetness of her mouth.

"Mark" Meredith moaned panting in the single second that he left her mouth for some air. Her hands raveled his hair before they slid down on his shoulders taking them in her light embrace.

Mark settled on top of her with her head between his hands planting kisses all over her face; he kissed her eyelids, her nose, her cheeks, her lips; he kissed her as if he was hungry of her taste.

"Mark" she moaned again; she stopped his face taking it in hands. "How about Ally?" She asked.

Mark stood up and locked the door. "Hopefully she won't need me too this night." He said returning to bed. "I can't take care of you both." Mark returned to her body and pressing it with his weight, he laid on her and his face sunk in the curve of her neck.

As response to his kisses, Meredith closed her eyes, her body arched to him and one of her legs passed over his hips.

Mark groaned in pain and pleasure as her fingers stubbed the skin of his back. He took her face again in hands; his thumb ran pressing over her bottom lip before he lowered his face and nip it.

"You can call me Meri… you know…" Meredith moaned looking into his eyes while her hands were still roaming all over his back.

"Ok, Meri…" Mark chuckled and nipped her bottom lip again. "And you can still call me… Mark."

Meredith laughed taking his face in her hands. She lifted her head to him and her lips kissed him softly. "Are you as passionate as you are bitter?"

Mark smiled and backed his head away from her palms. "I like to believe that I more passionate than bitter." He answered and lowered to her chest.

A lightning broke in their window when he needed it the most. Her breasts showed up in its light with their erected nipples looking as small pearls. He moistened his lips with the tip of the tongue and hovered over one of those small pearls. The tip of his tongue gently licked it and then sucked it, nipped it gently and made a sloppy circle around it. As his mouth pulled back, he took her breast in hand and wiped its nipple playing in the same time with its weight and roundness.

Meredith moaned loud but still silently in the noise of thunders. She took his hand in hers and led him to her other breast; she brushed it over it and then led it down her body until his hand met her wetness. "Can you do something about it?" Meredith asked him.

Mark was surprised to see her so ready already, but the grip from his trousers was even bigger. He pushed to aside her panties and his thumb rubbed against her clit. His face sunk in the neck of her curve again breathing in her scent, while his thumb continued in tease over her folds.

"Oh Mark" Meredith moaned and turned her face to meet his. She kissed him softly in those and still having her hand over his, she pressed it over her wetness. "Give me … something good." She moaned pleading.

"Something good?" He asked kissing her cheek. "Is this good enough?" He asked as he thrust his thumb between her folds.

"Oh yeah…" Meredith replied with a loud moan arching her back to him and squeezing his finger with her muscles. "So good."

Mark felt his own pleasure growing just feeling her so hot and wet. He took out his thumb and parted her legs wider. His finger thrust inside and made her body tense under him. With each thrust of his finger, her body was getting tenser and her nails more brutal. His thrusts continued until he heard her loud whimper of pleasure and felt her fingers brutally clutching in his hair.

Mark was panting as heavy as Meredith was doing when he pulled out his finger. He ran it over her lips wiping it from all her juice and then his tongue licked her clean.

"Amazing…" Meredith smiled resting her forehead against his. Her knee flexed and found the bulge from his trousers. She giggled and flipped him on his back.

Mark watched her mounting him and finally disposing the shirt she was wearing. He never liked the rain and he hated the thunders and the lightning as much as his daughter hated them; but now, in the middle of the night, a woman, whose presence already left a print in his and his daughter's life, was up there on top of him. Her stubbornness and annoyance were as sensual as her body was.

The lightning showed Meredith again in her entire beauty smiling down at him while her hands were massaging gently his chest. His hands defined the outline of her body traveling up and down her forms. Her skin felt so soft and warm under his touch and each pore of her skin radiated passion.

Mark was lost in her eyes and her smile; her smiling lips seduced him, her hair falling over shoulders and her warm loving touch. The spell broke when her fingers slid inside his trousers and boxers and pull them off to release him from his grip.

He closed his eyes and let his head fell between pillows ready to let her take the control. His fingers clutched in the flash of her waist when her fingers surrounded his already erected cock and his body tensed. "Oh God!" He moaned loudly as his member was milked along its length by her hand.

"You are so big, Mark." Meredith moaned lowering her body on him. She lay down over his strong body with her hand still holding his cock and squeezing it. "I need you, Mark… I can't wait to feel you inside of me." She whispered panting of pleasure in his ear.

"I can't wait either." Mark replied immediately and took her in his arms to roll them over and bring her under him. He did it fast, but when he was ready have her beneath him Mark hit the hard cold wooden floor.

Mark let out a whimper of pain and opening his eyes, found himself down beside his bed. His breath was heavy, his body sweaty and his erection was still pushing against his trousers. One second ago, she released him from that grip and their bodies were ready to become one. He looked up in bed and saw its sheets raveled as if a wild passionate sex had happened, but the bed was empty now. It took him a few moments to process the events and understand what was going on with him.

Everything became clear in his head when the door opened and Meredith walked inside carrying panic in her voice and look. "What happened?" she asked with a grave voice turning on the lights.

"No!" Mark shouted as he realized what had happened to him. He grabbed a pillow and brought it on his lap to hide the proof of his wet dream. "Turn it off!" He shouted again, when Meredith was late to do it.

"Ok" Meredith retorted offended and turned off the lights. "Are you ok? I heard a strong noise coming from here." She made another step to come closer to him, but Mark stopped her holding up his hand.

"Don't" He said. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Meredith asked unconvinced. "You are panting and sweating."

"I fell from bed, so I got scared, now can you please leave me alone?" Mark replied.

"Ok" Meredith answered ironical. "Ally can't sleep because of the thunders." She informed him as she turned around to leave his room.

"She's afraid of thunders." Mark replied calmer. "Turn on the radio and try to distract her. I'll be there in a minute." He continued avoiding any eye contact with her, which might betray him.

"I only bothered because in case you were dieing I didn't want to be accused of murder." Meredith muttered nervous and shot him a glare before heading outside.

Mark rubbed his face frustrated with both hands and hit the bed with the back of his head. "Damn" he muttered. His dream would have been too easy after everything he did and said to her.

After a quick shower, Mark went to check on Alicia. Coming in front of their door, Mark grabbed the doorknob and twisted. The door clicked silently and Mark sneaked his head inside.

Their room was in a complete darkness. The thunders had stopped and now the rain was pouring in abundance hitting their window. Besides the noise made by rain, a song was playing quietly on radio.

"_Lying close to you  
Feeling your heart beating  
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming  
Wondering if it's me you're seeing  
Then I kiss your eyes and thank God we're together  
And I just wanna stay with you  
In this moment forever, forever and ever__"_

Because both of them were sounding asleep, he approached their bed in silence. Mark came over on Meredith's side of bed and leaned to watch them. Alicia was sleeping in Meredith's arms with her head on her chest and one arm over her body, while Meredith's arm was protectively resting around the girl's small back.

Mark sighed. In that moment, at that late hour, after all the latest events, he was too tired to be worried. Tempted by his dream, he could not resist and touched discreetly Meredith's hair. He took a strand and rolled it around his finger.

Meredith stirred looking as if she was about to wake up, so Mark let her hair fall back on pillow and made a step back. Meredith continued to sound asleep and sunk her face in Alicia's hair.

Mark gave one last look to the picture he had in there and walked outside in the same silence as he walked inside.

"_I don't wanna miss one smile  
I don't wanna miss one kiss  
Well, I just wanna be with you  
Right here with you, just like this  
I just wanna hold you close  
Feel your heart so close to mine  
And stay here in this moment  
For all the rest of time__"_

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_This was a super short update, but it was only a dream. It would have been a bad start for their relationship if this wasn't a dream._

_I hope you enjoyed reading it!_


	10. I need you

**All I want is this**

**Chapter 10 – I need you**

Meredith woke up hearing a light snore next to her ear. She opened her heavy of sleep eyes and looked at the sleeping face of the little girl. Meredith giggled hearing her cute snore and couldn't resist not to kiss her nose. Alicia stirred a little and slapped lightly Meredith's face to banish the harassment.

Meredith caught her hand and placed it back along her body. Then she slowly slid out of bed. The curtains had remained open, so Meredith still could see the rain pouring over their window. It was still dark outside, but the sun had been starting showing its light from behind the clouds. Another gray and rainy day for Seattle was ready to start.

Meredith checked her watch. It was a little passed 5:30 and her shift was starting at 7 o'clock. It was cheerful and refreshing to wake up with Alicia by her side, to watch her sleeping and hearing her snoring for the first time. Once that she checked her watch and the daily routine was about to start, all the good and bad things returned to her mind. She sighed remembering Mark. She really believed that after the pleasant evening they spent together, Mark would be nicer and friendlier with her, but proved again that he wasn't capable of such great things. His presence was getting harder to stand each time he was throwing malicious and offending words to her spitting his venom, but there was Alicia, that little girl who always seemed to do everything to keep Meredith close to her and her daddy.

She leaned against the windowsill watching Alicia's sleep. After Mark confessed their story with that woman's abandonment, Meredith tried to imagine what kind of person Mark was before that. Alicia had a total different behavior than her father; always cheerful and fondly. Meredith thought at Alicia's mother; probably Alicia was looking more like her mother, physically and not only, but then she put herself the question what could make that woman leave her child? And this brought her again to the same question: what kind of person Mark used to be?

Then she realized she should return on Earth and she would better go and get ready for work before Mark to wake up and meet his strange behavior again.

Creeping out of the guest room, Meredith let it half-open. The wooden floor let a light creak under the first step she made. Meredith winced and froze for a second checking if her noise disturbed anyone. Since the apartment continued to sleep in the same perfect silence as before, Meredith picked up her track to bathroom.

-------------------

Mark startled when Meredith stepped outside her room and slowly opened his eyes. Immediately he could guess Meredith's presence on hall. He sighed and shifted on his back in a perfect discretion. Through that silence, Mark could even hear Meredith's breathe as she passed by his door.

As soon as he heard the bathroom door closing, Mark decided to leave the bed. He had to admit that he was grateful for Meredith's discretion. She was avoiding him for the rudeness he showed once again toward her and he was avoiding her just for the simple fact of having her in his life.

Same as Meredith, Mark crept out of his room and walked in the guest room, which his daughter had shared with Meredith. Mark found Alicia sounding asleep in the middle of the bed, so in silence closed the door and approached the bed. He slowly lifted the quilt and slid under it next to his daughter. Settling comfortable on pillow, which was still holding Meredith's warmth and the smell of wet hair, Mark rested his forehead on the girl's head.

A smile showed up on her lips and with a giggle, her blue eyes met his gaze.

"You weren't sleeping?" Mark was surprised to find his daughter awake. That was something uncommon for her. Actually, it was uncommon for him too, but this new turn that his life took in Seattle, had brought a few changes already.

Alicia simply giggled and snuggled against her father's chest, asking like that for her well-deserved cuddle. Mark welcomed her taking her in arms and kissing the top of her head.

"Daddy?" She said with her muffled voice from his now dressed chest.

"What is it?" Mark asked as he pulled back a little to loose the hug and have a better look at his daughter.

"Why don't you like Meri?" She asked with shades of sadness in her voice but still carrying the kindness in her eyes as she looked up into Mark's eyes.

Mark sighed. He ran his fingers through her hair brushing it out of her face. "What makes you think that I don't like Meredith?" He asked curiously.

"I heard you yelling at her last night again." Alicia retorted sounding a little bit nervous this time and reproachful. "She was upset last night, you know." She informed him with grave voice trying to make him feel guilty.

Mark closed his eyes trying to wipe Meredith's picture out of his head. Alicia did manage to fill him with guilt.

"Why don't you like her?" Alicia insisted after she saw her father's silence. "Daddy, are you sleeping?" She shoved him gently as she stood up propping on her arm.

Mark opened his eyes and looked at her smiling. He also rolled to a side facing her. "Why do you like her?" He asked her.

"Because she is pretty and because she very nice with me." Alicia replied immediately as convincing and honest as she could.

Mark let out another sighed. Those were the reasons he didn't like Meredith. He leaned to Alicia and gave her kiss on forehead. "Let's go and eat something for breakfast, ok?" He proposed as he jumped up at the edge of the bed.

"You didn't answer." Alicia stood up as well kneeling in the middle of the bed and watching him disappointed.

Mark ran a hand through his hair before he leaned to her ear. "I am going to tell you a secret. Promise you won't tell anyone!"

"Daddy, I can't tell anyone a secret." Alicia giggled delighted by what she considered as being her father's silliness.

Mark smiled widely at her and pressed his lips on her forehead. "I think I like Meredith." He whispered to her ear.

"You are not sure?" Alicia looked at him stunned. "Why?"

Mark rolled his eyes smiling. Alicia seemed to be as nosy as he thought about Meredith. "Because …" He started hesitated over his answer unsure of a reason. "Because I don't know her that well yet."

Alicia gave him another confused look, but then she smiled and crawled to set on his lap. "You should like her." She said hanging on his neck.

"I should?" Mark chuckled. "Why?"

"Because she is nice." Alicia answered simply and hugging her father's neck, she put her head down on his shoulder.

Mark took her in his arms and picked her up to carry her outside. As he reached to door ready to grab the doorknob, the door flew open and it took him less than a second to react and jump back to avoid a harsh contact with the door.

Meredith showed up in the doorway holding one hand over her chest as sign of her own scare.

"Is this a way to enter a room?" Mark snapped nervous.

"I- uh- I am sorry!" Meredith trailed shocked to find Mark in there. She was being honest in her apologizes because she was aware of the fact that her entrance in room wasn't quit proper especially when the house was still asleep. In the hurry of not meeting Mark on her way back to room, Meredith omitted the discretion. Now being caught by Mark's reproach, Meredith also omitted the fact that she was wearing a big navy blue towel around her.

Mark was the first one who noticed her clothing after the scare of her sudden appearance passed. In that moment, Mark couldn't hold out of his head Meredith's image sitting on his bed unbuttoning her shirt. Cold sweats of perspiration were ready to invade his forehead while pictures of his dreams were getting hotter.

Meredith felt Mark's gaze over her body like a fire heating it. Then it was when she followed his gaze and looked down at her body to find herself more exposed than ever in front of him. What she didn't know was that Mark had already seen her in all her shame, though he did it only in his imagination. She didn't know how, but her hand grabbed the first clothing item it could reach to and brought it to cover her body.

"You should try wearing some clothes while you are in my house." Mark said dryly unable to keep his eyes away from her chest, which was now partially covered by Alicia's small beige denim jacket. "Preferably not my daughter's." He chuckled more to himself and passed by her carrying Alicia outside.

Meredith's cheeks flushed of embarrassment and irritation in the same time. She closed the door right after her host and twisted the latch to lock it for more safety.

Meredith sighed as she threw Alicia's jacket back on chair and unwrapped the towel from around her body. "Stupid, stupid, stupid." Meredith mumbled under breath annoyed by Mark's impertinence while fumbling after her clothes.

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As Mark put Alicia down on counter in bathroom, he met her glare. He already knew that glare. It was her glare for when she had something to reproach him.

"I know" Mark said fast before his daughter could say anything. "I'll apologize, I promise." He added as he turned on the water and picked Alicia up to lean her over the sink.

Mark splashed cold water over her face a few times and then put her back on counter. He took a face towel and handed it to her to dry herself.

Alicia took the towel and with clumsy movements wiped her face. "Don't you think Meri is pretty?"

Mark gasped caught off guard by Alicia's surprising question. "Do you think she is pretty?" He asked back delaying his answer. Avoiding an eye contact with his daughter, he bent over the sink to wash his face as well.

"I think she is." Alicia stated with innocence as she kept playing with the face towel. "Will I have breasts like hers?" She asked almost causing her father a drowning.

Mark took the towel from his daughter and wiping his face looked at Alicia. "Have you seen her breasts?" He asked with embarrassment in his voice incapable to understand how he and his daughter reached to that subject.

Alicia nodded very convincing. "Didn't you see them through her blouse?" She asked him.

Stunned, Mark jerked his head up and watched himself in mirror. For the first time his daughter made him blush.

Mark picked her up again and put her down.

"So will I?" Alicia asked him with excitement in her voice.

"Yes, you will." Mark replied defeated. "When you will grow up more." He said taking her hand.

"And will I be pretty?" She asked him with the same excitement in her voice and attitude.

"You will be very pretty." Mark chuckled complimenting her.

"So Meri is pretty too, isn't she?" She giggled as she came to her own conclusion.

Mark groaned smiling and led her outside.

"Daddy" She tugged his arm to make him answer.

"She is pretty too." Mark stated staring ahead.

"Can we eat now?" She asked.

Mark smiled down at her and nodded. "What do you want to eat?"

Alicia grinned showing him her white tiny teeth. "Peanut butter and jelly."

Mark groaned and led her to kitchen. In there, he turned on the light and let Alicia go choose a chair to table. "Make one for Meri too." She said struggling to climb up and sat comfortable on a chair.

Mark complied without any comments and took out from refrigerator two jars: one with peanut butter and another one with jelly.

While Mark was preparing Alicia's snack and Alicia was smudging the jelly from jar with her finger, Meredith came out from the bedroom she had shared with Alicia that night. Both Mark and Alicia stopped from what they were doing to look into the direction of Meredith.

They saw her already dressed for outdoors and gathering her things from living room. A shade of panic washed over Alicia's face as she watched that. She hopped from her chair and ran to living room.

"Meri?" she asked with her voice trembling of panic as she stopped by the couch's side. "Where are you going?"

Meredith had thrown her cell phone in bag when she heard Alicia. She put the bag aside on the small table and walked over to her. "I have to go to work." Meredith kneeled at Alicia's level brushing her hair behind the ear. "Have fun today at kindergarten."

Alicia frowned worried and shook her head. "Come with me!" She pleaded in a whisper.

Meredith sighed sad to see the girl's sadness.

In that moment, Mark joined them in living room. "Do you really have to leave now?" He asked looking away from her.

His question would have impressed her if hadn't kept her out of his sight. She pressed her lips on Alicia's forehead smiling lovingly at her before her mood switched fast as she jumped on her feet clutching her hands into fists. "Why?" She retorted with obvious anger in voice glaring Mark. "Didn't I receive my ration of humiliation for today?"

Mark glanced at her with embarrassment from the corner of his eye. "You don't have to act like this." He said keeping the calm in his voice.

Meredith laughed with sarcasm. "Now am I something too disgusting to look at?" She asked pointing out the fact that besides the moment when his eyes caught the sight of the towel from around her body, he didn't his best to avoid any look toward her.

In desperation, Alicia shook her head immediately. "He said you are very pretty." She said in attempt to bring the grown ups to warmer feeling towards each other.

Meredith looked down at Alicia with confusion. She was about to tell her that lying was bad when Mark interfered unconsciously. "I told you secrets shouldn't be shared." As the last word left his lips, Mark realized how loud and clear he had said it in front of Meredith. He glanced up at her and met an expressionless face staring at him.

"No you didn't." Alicia retorted in defense. "You said you like her… that was a secret." She innocently let out their secret.

Mark closed his eyes hoping that the ground would open and hide him.

Meredith smiled discreetly biting her lip to muffle a giggle. "Did he say that?" She asked kneeling back down at Alicia's level.

Alicia answered with a nod. Now Meredith wasn't sure if Mark had said it just to look good in his daughter's eyes, but she couldn't enjoy more seeing him embarrassed.

"Please stay with us, Meri!" Alicia threw herself at Meredith's neck.

Meredith brought her arms around Alicia without breaking the daze she had brought over Mark.

Mark glanced at her and meeting her smile, shot her a glare sniffing annoyed.

"I'm not sure if your father likes me enough to have me here at this hour." Meredith told Alicia still holding her curious eyes on Mark.

Alicia pulled back from Meredith's embrace and made a gesture that amused Meredith madly. Alicia hit the floor with a leg as she propped her fists nervous on hips glaring her father. "Do something!" She commanded with anger in her voice.

Mark's head titled to one side shocked by the girl's reaction. A frown creased on his forehead and clutching his hands in fists, he walked over to them.

Meredith returned on her feet protectively bringing Alicia to her as she saw Mark's mad look.

"Go eat!" He commanded in a harsher tone than it was necessary.

Alicia startled and without any comment, she ran from Meredith back to her seat at table.

"Come." Mark calmed his voice a little as he took Meredith's arm and gestured her to follow him in a further corner of the room.

They stopped by the small fireplace and Mark looked into the direction of kitchen to check on Alicia. Seeing her attempting to make herself some appetite to bite from a sandwich, Mark turned to face Meredith.

"That wasn't necessary." Meredith whispered reproachful. "You can yell at me as much as you want, but she is a child. She meant to do what she thought it was nice."

Mark's lips creased to a smile. Propping his elbow on the fireplace, Mark fixed his gaze on Meredith. "Thank you!" He said honestly. "Thank you for helping us yesterday… with everything!"

Meredith looked at him with disbelief. Her first impulse was to believe him, but he had proved already that he could be false, so a seed of doubt was in Meredith's mind.

"I am also sorry for… what I did." Mark mumbled nervously hitting the edge of the fireplace with his foot. He stopped as he straightened and looked into her eyes again. "I know I was inappropriate… rude and believe me that I am ashamed for the way I behaved last night. I am sorry!" He apologized.

The fact that he said it all looking into her eyes, helped him gain points of trust in Meredith's eyes.

"I am sorry too for…" Meredith muttered now staring at her feet. "I don't know for what." She giggled looking up at Mark.

Mark smiled and leaned to her ear. "For walking naked around my house."  
Meredith gasped still holding a bright smile on her lips and made a step backwards. "I wasn't naked."

"You were." Mark retorted. "For a male… you were naked." He stated and chuckled.

Meredith blushed instantly and brought her cold hand to take from the heat of her cheek. "So you are definitely not gay."

Mark laughed short and opened the mouth to say something. He shut it back in the next second. "I'm keeping this for when we'll be friends."

"Will we ever be friends?" She asked him curiously.

"Maybe" Mark answered simply still smiling sheepish at her as a teenager. "Please stay now!"

"I have to get to work in time." Meredith retorted.

"Aren't you resident yet?" Mark asked.

"I am, but I still have a chief that watches our schedule."

"Please stay." Mark insisted making hesitantly a step towards her. "Alicia already hates me and I really could need some help with her kindergarten. You already know most of the people there and the most important you already know the address so…" Mark stopped watching for Meredith's reaction. Meeting her smile, Mark dared more. "So I need you…" He paused analyzing the way he made it sound. "… I need your help." He corrected his previous confession.

Meredith giggled and made a step towards him increasing the space between them. "I am not… Alicia's mother." She paused a little realizing that she didn't know Alicia's mother name. "You can give me all the discredit you want because you have this right, but don't treat me as a whore." Meredith looked straight into his eyes as her words made the conclusion.

"I'm sorry… for that." Mark apologized for his kiss again.

"Will you talk to Bailey?" She asked him.

"Sure" Mark smiled and nodded. "Breakfast now?" He asked.

Meredith smiled and walked ahead towards kitchen.

Alicia grinned cheerful as she saw her grown ups walking together in kitchen with a more friendly mood. "This is for you, Meri!" Alicia picked a sandwich from her plate and handed it to Meredith.

"That's nice of you Ally, but I think I will have something else for breakfast." Meredith giggled gently pushing Alicia's hand back to plate.

"You can make the coffee." Mark said heading to refrigerator. "I will make some fried eggs with bacon."

"Thanks" Meredith replied grateful and walked over to counter to make some coffee.

"Nobody wants sandwiches?" Alicia asked disappointed.

Meredith and Mark looked at each other and smiled. "You should try some cereals, Ally!" Meredith looked back at Alicia.

"No" Alicia stated shaking her head. "I like these." She said taking with more appetite this time another sandwich.

Meredith let the machine filter the coffee and went to sit down at table. "So your daddy said I am pretty and that he likes me?" She asked amused looking at Alicia.

With her mouth full, Alicia answered with a nod.

"Can we forget about that?" Mark snapped without looking back at them.

Meredith laughed at him. "I don't think so! You are not totally forgiven."

Mark glared back at her and sniffed before taking care of their breakfast.

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I hope you liked it! Reviews are always refreshing!


	11. The first day

**All I want is this**

**Chapter 11 – The first day**

Meredith paced along the large living impatiently. Many times, she had been ready to ignore Mark and storm inside his room, where he was trying to get Alicia ready for her first day of kindergarten. She heard too many times Alicia's shouts and fights, guessing that she was refusing to put on her the clothes that her daddy suggested.

She finally decided to take the risks and go to them. She grabbed the doorknob, but as she tried to twist it, she found it locked.

"I knew I couldn't trust you!" Mark's voice came from behind the door sounding more as a mocking laugh than his regular reproachful tone.

"Meri!" Alicia cried out.

"Mark, I can help you, you know!" Meredith leaned her body against the door.

From inside, she could hear his growl as sign that she was pushing him over the edge. "I'm dressing my daughter for nearly 4 years now, so please back off!" This time his voice was harsh and bitter, just like Meredith was used with.

"Fine!" Meredith groaned in exasperation rolling her eyes and spun around to return in living room.

Playing with her phone, Meredith felt the time passing faster when she heard the door creaking open. She jumped on her feet impatient to see Alicia's outfit.

Mark was the leader as he walked inside a pouted Alicia. Meredith stared at the girl's outfit stunned and expressionless. Alicia was wearing a pair of blue jeans matching with a pair of white sneakers, a pink t-shirt with a blue jeans jacket over. Her blonde tails were settled over her shoulders, while the head was covered with a pink stylish cap, completely off with the rest of the comfy sporting clothes on her. As soon as he brought her in, Mark let off her hand and went to gather his things and be ready to leave.

Alicia's beautiful, but now sad blue eyes looked sheepishly at Meredith. "Uh… Mark?" Meredith spoke titling her head to one side, but yet with her eyes pinned on Alicia. "She looks like… a rapper." Meredith concluded, discreetly covering her mouth to hide her amusement.

"Mind your own business." Mark cut her off without any other comment as he threw the jacket on him.

Usually, Alicia was very observant at all the things around her and didn't let Meredith's amusement pass unnoticed. Her cute tiny forehead made wrinkles as she frowned. "Daddy, what's that a rapper?" She asked fearful, almost ready to burst into tears.

Just then, Meredith realized what a bad mood Alicia had adopted. Instinctively she looked back at Mark, this time meeting his eyebrows lifted. "Would you mind explain that to her?" He asked her, kind of smiling triumphal at her.

Now Meredith found herself in trouble. She stared at Mark in disbelief for a few moments, still hoping that he would help her. But Mark didn't show any intention of helping; contrariwise, he was staring back at her hiding behind his lips the amusement. Meredith growled and turned to face Alicia.

"Uh" Meredith forced a kind smile, which didn't fool Alicia. Meredith jerked her head back to Mark with a glare. "This is only your fault!"

Mark rolled his eyes and walked over to Alicia, bent over and picked her up. "Meredith meant to say that you like … like a singer." He trailed off in attempt to sooth her. "Like… Christina Aguilera!"

Alicia didn't give up at her frown and folded her arms across the chest. "I don't like Christina Aguilera." She muttered.

Mark sighed exasperated. "Then like Britney Spears."

"I do not look like her!" Alicia muttered still pouted.

"Uh…" Meredith interfered ready to help her. "I saw her picture in a magazine a few days ago. She was wearing a similar outfit like yours." She tried to sound as convincing as she could.

Alicia looked at her with discredit, but slowly her forehead and face started relaxing and lightening again. "Really?" She asked under her breath.

"Really." Meredith smiled satisfied to have solved the issue and then grinned discretely at Mark.

Mark rolled his eyes and took Alicia's back bag ready to leave into a final. He turned off the lights and opened the door, allowing Meredith to step outside first, while he continued to carry Alicia.

"I want to see the picture!" Alicia stated into a more brighter and cheerful note this time, of course referring at Britney's Spears picture in which Meredith said she had an alike outfit like hers.

Meredith nodded forcing herself to keep a convincing smile for Alicia, while Mark chuckled quietly.

----------------------------

"Hop in" Mark opened the door from the backseats for Alicia to get inside. Pushed from behind, Alicia climbed in and sat on her seat making herself comfortable before her daddy to fasten the seatbelt.

Mark fastened the seatbelt and got out of the car. Meredith was about to come and join Alicia, when Mark shut the door grinning at her. Immediately he opened the door from passenger seat.

Meredith glared at him and hesitated before accepting his gesture. "Actually I have my car here!" She said pointing to the garage where the door attendant had taken it. She made a step to a side, but Mark blocked her way.

"I will send someone to bring it to you to hospital." He said. Because her glare and suspicious look persisted, Mark sighed as if he was ready to give up, though he continued to hold the door open for her. "You know the directions and at this hour we have to make it there without turns. You are already running late for work."

Meredith didn't reply and simply climbed inside, on the seat offered by Mark. Mark crossed the car to get on the driver seat and after he made sure that everyone was ready to go, started the engine.

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"I still don't like these clothes!" Alicia whined from the backseats glaring down at her clothes.

Mark glanced at Meredith. "This is a daily topic. Try to ignore her."

Meredith giggled and looked back at the little girl. "You look very pretty, Ally! Don't worry about it! Besides, today you have ballet classes and you will put on the pretty costume that we bought together yesterday.

Alicia glanced up at Meredith and nodded still unconvinced. "You should take that cap off." Meredith said smiling meaningful at Alicia. Alicia smiled as she got her hint and took off the cap.

"What are you doing?" Mark murmured nervous at Meredith.

"That cap was ridiculous, Mark!" Meredith pointed out into a louder tone than Mark would have wanted.

"Yeah!" Alicia sounded offended from her seat to sustain Meredith.

"See?" Meredith smirked at Mark.

"Daddy, when is the Halloween?" Alicia asked curious, this time more lightened up, feeling better after the issues of her wardrobe had been solved.

Mark chuckled. That was another daily topic of theirs. Yesterday it had been about Christmas, today it was about Halloween. "There are a few weeks until then, Ally. It's still too early to think about it."

"Can we have a party this year too?" She asked him.

"Sure" Mark replied mechanical, without paying too much attention to her.

"Meri, do you want to come to our party?" Alicia asked looking up at Meredith.

Confused, Meredith first checked on Mark for his help. Because Mark continued to look like absent and focused more on road, Meredith picked her own answer. "Your daddy is right." She started and gaining through a miracle Mark's attention, who looked at her surprised of what he had heard. Meredith smiled at him with sarcasm, before shifting to one side to look at Alicia. "It's still too early to think about it."

Alicia did not pay attention to Meredith's advice. "Last year we had many children in funny costume over our house. I was a dog, grandma was a mouse and daddy was a cat." She continued her narration more like for herself while she was playing with the hemline of her jacket. "That was fun."

Meredith hardly could hold back from laughter. She looked at Mark whose face was now tensed and visibly embarrassed. "Don't" He held up one hand sniffing nervous.

But that made Meredith burst into laugh. "You were a cat?!" She asked him disbelief.

"Do you want to walk by foot?" Mark snapped at her nervous.

Meredith stopped from laugh shutting the mouth and biting her lips to keep them closed. She sat back on her seat gazing out on the windowshield and meowed under her breath.

"Stop that!" Mark warned her threatening, yet not looking at her.

"What costume did you have last year, Meri?" With her question, Alicia released her father from the awkward light she had put him with her confession about his costume from the last Halloween party.

"I didn't have any costume, Ally. I had to work so I didn't have time for party." Meredith retorted.

"Really?" Alicia gasped very shocked of Meredith's answer. Both, Mark and Meredith looked at her and could see the pity from her eyes. "You have to come to my party then." She said rather as demand than invitation. "What's your favorite costume?" She asked her.

Meredith remained silent staring out on window. Mark noticed something changed on Meredith's face after Alicia's last question. She seemed to have pain and even anger in her features. He decided not to interfere and drove in complete silence for exact 30 seconds, when Alicia spoke again. "Meri" She called Meredith's name letting her know that she was still waiting an answer.

"Uh…" Meredith stuttered uncomfortable. "I don't… think I have a favorite one."

Mark looked curiously at her. He could have swear that he had heard her voice trembling a little of sadness. Alicia seemed to have missed that because she continued with serenity, almost with her regular cheerful manner. "You can be… a fairy!" Her eyes grew wide with excitement at her own idea. "I want to be Hermione!" She continued proudly.

Meredith looked questioning at Mark. "Harry Potter." Mark glanced at her as he gave her the source of Alicia's inspiration.

"Oh…" Meredith chuckled. "And you could be Harry Potter." She started laughing at him.

Mark looked at her with a glare. "Can we stay focused on our destination?" He snapped. "Where's the kindergarten, because I think that we were supposed to be there already." He slowed the speed and looked careful at all the buildings from each side of the road.

"Is that one." Meredith said pointing to a large institution that looked rather as a university than a kindergarten.

Mark drove dazed until they reached in front of the fence. He stopped the car and let the engine die. "I know that my daughter is genius, but I would have preferred not let her skip the kindergarten and school." He said with sarcasm. "Did you enroll my daughter to college?"

Meredith laughed at him and shook her head. "They also have a school." She explained. "They have two wings: one for kindergarten and one for school. They also have many laboratories and rooms for all kind of activities. Did you really think that I would throw your money on window?" She asked him still laughing.

Mark sighed relieved to know that his daughter still got the chance to attend kindergarten and rolled his eyes and Meredith's corny laugh. "Just a curiosity…" he started hardly abstaining not to strangle her. "Did you also enroll her to school?"

Meredith smiled and shook her head. "I didn't dare to go that far." She said.

"You didn't?" It was now Mark's turn to become sarcastic. "That's uncommon for you."

"Oh… can we get inside already." Meredith smiled and shoved him to start the car again. "I am not that bad." She said very sure of herself while Mark pulled the car into the parking lot of the kindergarten.

"She not bad." Alicia came to sustain Meredith.

'_No, you're not.'_ Mark thought, although he was referring to something else than Meredith and Alicia were. "Let's go!" He hurried outside to miss the girls' giggles. On his way to Alicia's seat, Mark also opened the door for Meredith.

Though he didn't hold the door open for her as she stepped outside, Meredith had to admit that his gesture as impressive.

Mark unfastened Alicia's seatbelt and helped her out. Hopping out of car, she gracefully avoided a puddle.

The morning was chill and cloudy, but the air smelling as wet ground was refreshing. Alicia inhaled some and exhaled it with a content smile on her face. At that point, all her previous worries about her daddy's behavior towards Meri or her outfit were long gone. She waited for Mark to lock the car and jumped taking his hand. As she did that, she also held out one hand for Meredith. Meredith smiled thrilled and took the girl's hand as she led their way inside.

It was still early so the parking lot and the hallways weren't very populated. As they walked inside the main lobby, an enormous one, high ceiling and very well lightened, Alicia squealed and ran ahead dragging the grown-ups after her. "Look" She let off Meredith's hand to point it to a small statue. "This is a sprite."

"Let's keep our track, Ally!" Meredith took back Alicia's hand laughing and pulled her towards their destination. "You will have time to show him all these things, now let's hurry."

Alicia agreed and with sprint steps walked along with them. "Did you like that?" She asked grinning up at Mark.

Mark chuckled and nodded. He had to admit that so far he was impressed with Meredith's choice, especially seeing Alicia's thrill.

They climbed up a few stairs until they reached to a long large hallway. Very sure of herself, Meredith walked them along that hall. They stopped before its half in front of a light brown wooden door. Through its large window the green painted inside was visible.

"The green meadow." Meredith pointed out tracing her finger under the door's label. Mark made a grimace looking at Meredith. "This helps you find her classroom in case you get lost." Meredith explained chuckling. "All the rooms have a name." She said pointing to the next door.

Mark leaned a little to read better. "The velvet meadow?! Where is the forest?" He asked sarcastic.

Meredith thought about it for a moment but then she shrugged. "I think it's on the other side." She said pointing towards the other end of the hall.

"This is ridiculous." He murmured.

"I think it's cute." Meredith disagreed with him and pushed the door open. With a light knock, she sneaked her head inside. "Mrs. Kendrick?"

A tall gray haired lady stood up from her desk with a warm smiling. "Oh good morning… Ms. Grey? Am I right? And please call me Madeline"

Meredith opened the door wider and invited Alicia and Mark inside. "That's correct. Good morning Mrs. Kendrick… Madeline!" Meredith smiled politely holding out to shake the hand with the teacher.

"Good morning, Ally!" The teacher bent a little to Alicia smiling kindly at her.

"Good morning, Mrs. Kendrick!" Alicia grinned up at her.

"This is Mr. Sloan, Alicia's father." Meredith made the introductions and then they had a short talk about Alicia's schedule. After the goodbyes, Meredith and Mark returned to their car.

"Thanks!" Mark glanced at Meredith after he had fastened his seatbelt.

"Anytime." Meredith replied smiling.

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_I'm so sorry for the lack of updates but I found the Twilight series and I am completely addicted to it, so this keeps me away from writing. Right now I am reading the last part and I am done with it (unfortunately). So... again, I am sorry! _


	12. Bambi

**Chapter 12- Bambi**

It had been a very long chaotic day in the ER. She was glad to be almost done with the last discharge; a minor cut didn't need hospitalization. At this late hour, the ER was incredibly quiet, therefore, she startled when a voice whispered to her ear out of nowhere. "Dr. Grey" The male voice called.

Her head snapped to a side and sighed. "Dr. Sloan." She turned around to face him after the scare had loosened her a little.

Mark cleared his throat acting as if he was uncomfortable in his shoes. Fixing a spot on his shoes, he leaned against the counter before looking up at Meredith. "I need a favor." He spoke slowly sounding a little embarrassed.

Meredith raised an eyebrow suggestively. "As long as it is professional…" She trailed off.

"It's not." He cut off her words fast. "It's Alicia." He hurried to mention not wishing to let place for misunderstandings.

"Oh" Meredith was more curious now to find out what the favor was about. "Ok" She agreed to listen.

Mark cleared his throat again. It wasn't easy for him to ask this and he wasn't happy with it either, but at this point he didn't see other solution. "I have an emergent surgery and …" He sighed before continuing. "… apparently I am on call tonight."

"You want me to pick up Ally from kindergarten." Meredith concluded and said it loud as it popped in her head.

Mark looked at her trying to read her face expression. It didn't take him long to have her answer, because her reaction was indicative enough as a kind smile surprised smile spread on her lips. "Thank you!" He nodded thankful forcing a polite smile to sustain his gratitude. 

"Sure… no problem." Meredith nodded back, more liter than he had done it.

"Just take her home, order in something for dinner if any of you haven't eaten yet." Mark trailed off. "Then you can put her to bed because it's already late for her.

"We'll take care of everything." Meredith pushed his hand with the tip of her fingers as she saw him ready to take out the wallet. "I'll be ready to leave in about 10 minutes." Mark nodded silently. "Oh and thank you for bringing my car back…" Meredith smiled. "… but you shouldn't have sent an intern after it."

Mark showed a crooked smile as he chuckled. "Just leave already." He said and turned on his heal to get back to work.

Meredith adopted Mark's previous posture as she leaned against the counter watching him leaving. She shook her head and murmured something; it must have been about Mark's personality.

-------------------------------

Meredith sneaked her head through the half-open door of the classroom, where only two little girls and their teacher were looking over a book. She opened the door wider and stepped inside. The door creaked and made everyone turn their eyes on her.

"Meri!" Alicia gasped and let out a happy squeal as she jumped on her feet to run to Meredith.

Meredith laughed and knelt to welcome her in her arms. Alicia jumped straight on her neck, hugging her as tight as she could. "You came!" She squealed, her voice sounding muffled because her face was rubbing in delight against Meredith's chest.

At first, Meredith was amused to see the thrill on Alicia's face as she walked inside, but now while she was showing her all her affection, Meredith was profoundly touched. She tightened her arms around the girl's tiny body and kissed the top of her head. "I came." She said whispering in her hair. "We are going home."

Alicia lifted her head from Meredith's chest grinning up at Meredith. "Really?" She asked with excitement, making her voice sound like she was about to scream of happiness again. "And you are coming?"

"Yes." Meredith smiled at her and pulled her away so that she could stand up.

In the meantime, Madeline, Alicia's teacher, came closer to them, but still keeping a distance for more privacy. "I thought that Mr. Sloan would come pick her up." She said smiling kindly at Meredith.

In that moment, hung on Meredith's arm, Alicia looked around her. "Where is daddy?" She asked curiously.

Meredith ran her fingers through Alicia's ponytail. One of the teachers must have changed her hairdo. "He is still at work so he asked me to come and take Ally." Meredith answered to both of them.

"I see." Madeline nodded understandingly. "Ok then Ally… let's gather your things." Madeline held out a hand for Alicia to go with her and prepare her back bag.

Meredith waited patiently while Madeline and Alicia stuffed a few books and toys in Alicia's bag. It didn't take them too long to do it, so soon Alicia was ready to leave.

They said goodbye to everyone and holding hand in hand, they walked outside, Alicia jumping thrilled with her new companion.

"Did you have a nice day?" Meredith asked her.

"Mhm" Alicia nodded. "I learned some steps at ballet." She said. "I love it so much, Meri! I can't wait to go again. Why can't I stay longer? Caroline said that I might get a part in the play for Halloween. I can't wait for it." It seemed that Alicia had so many things to talk about that she wasn't sure with which one to start first.

Meredith listened to her, very surprised and impressed to see how well she had guessed Alicia's passion for ballet. "I am sure that if Caroline sees how talented you are, she will ask you to spend extra time for the ballet classes."

Alicia smiled proud at Meredith and continued her sprint towards exit.

Meredith was ready to drive away, when she realized something. "Crap." She muttered under breath.

Alicia's chatter stopped instantly when she saw Meredith worried. "What is it?"

Meredith sighed and smiled back at Alicia. "Your daddy forgot to give the keys from his apartment."

Alicia's eyes sparkled and a cute giggle escaped between her teeth. "We can go to your apartment and I am going to sleep with you."

"I don't think your daddy will agree with this." Meredith shook her head and picked up the phone. As she flipped it open, she realized that Mark was in surgery so he couldn't answer. Meredith threw the phone back in her bag and sighed. She was about to start probably the ugliest fight with the most bitter man, but there was no way for her and Alicia to spend the next hours waiting for Mark to give them the keys. "Let's go." She finally decided and started the engine.

"Where?" Alicia asked her a little hesitant, like not wishing to hear what she didn't want to hear.

Meredith looked into the rearview mirror and smiled; a smile that Alicia caught right away and made her grin satisfied. "Where do you live, Meri?" Alicia asked curious.

"I live not very far from the place where you live." Meredith replied paying attention to road.

"Are we neighbors? Can you come and play with me?" Alicia asked with interest, obviously misinterpreting Meredith's answer.

"No" Meredith laughed. "We are not neighbors, but we don't live very far from each other."

"Oh" Alicia frowned a little disappointed. "But you have a car and you can come and play with me." She suggested.

"Ally, you should ask your daddy first for permission when you invite someone at your home." Meredith said. "Didn't he tell you that?"

"He did." Alicia nodded. "I'll ask him to invite you."

"In this case I don't think you will have the chance to play with me." Meredith laughed.

"Why?" Alicia asked confused.

"Because you know that your daddy and I don't like each other that much." Meredith replied.

"He likes you. I told you already." Alicia hurried to clear what for her sounded as a misunderstanding of Meredith's. "But why don't you like my daddy? He is very pretty and you should like him." She suggested exactly how she had done with her daddy in the morning of the same day. "Don't you think he is pretty?"

This time, Meredith fought back a laugh. "You know, Ally… the beauty isn't that important. It doesn't matter if a person is pretty or ugly if that person doesn't behave nice and your daddy is a good example.

"But he apologized." Alicia muttered with sadness.

Meredith sighed not knowing which way was the best to explain the situation to Alicia without upsetting her. "Your daddy and I aren't friends yet, so… that's why we don't like each other very much."

"I will ask him to play with you." Alicia stated pouting.

"Ok" Meredith shook her head amused. "In the meantime we can be friends, ok?"

"And you will play with me if daddy says it's ok, right?" Alicia asked hopeful, making sure that her friendship with Meredith would develop more.

"Right." Meredith looked at her through the rearview mirror and smiled kindly.

"Meri?" Alicia spoke again after a moment of silence, while playing with the hem of her jacket.

"Yes, Ally." Meredith retorted, patiently waiting to hear Alicia's next curiosity.

"Do you have a cat?" She asked.

"No. I don't have a cat." Meredith answered.

"But do you have a dog?" Alicia asked again.

"No. I don't have a dog either. I don't have any pet." Meredith answered.

Alicia sighed disappointed and rested her head on the back of the seat.

"Are you tired?" Meredith asked her.

"No" Alicia shook her head, though the sound of her voice was sleepier and her eyelids looked heavier. "Do you have toys, Meri?" She asked, obviously making plans for her night with Meredith.

"Uh… I don't think I have any, Ally. I am sorry!" Meredith said apologetically. "But it's late already so you won't have time to play."

"Meri!" Alicia whined.

"Oh no, no!" Meredith laughed at Alicia's attempts of being spoiled. "Don't argue with me or we are going straight to hospital and I am leaving you there with your father." She warned her.

Alicia gasped terrified by that thought and smiled guilty at Meredith. From that moment, after she sighed relieved, Alicia closed her eyes making the rest of the ride be very quiet.

When Meredith stopped the engine, Alicia stirred and opened her eyes. "Where are we?" She asked sleepy.

"I am sorry I woke you up." Meredith smiled looking back at her. She unfastened her seatbelt and stepped outside to help Alicia as well. It was a chill evening and the rain started pouring slowly. "We are home." Meredith said helping Alicia outside.

"Your home?" Alicia asked looking sleepy around her. The chill weather made her shiver and hug Meredith's legs.

"My home." Meredith nodded and picked her up in arms. "Let's get you inside!"

"Wow! Is this your house?" Alicia asked amazed. "It's big. Do you live with your daddy too?"

"No" Meredith climbed up the stairs and started fumbling through her bag for the keys. 

"Do you live alone?" Alicia asked her with shock in her expression. "Aren't you scared?"

"You are very curious, Ally. Take it easier with the questions." Meredith laughed while she opened the door.

The lights were on and voices were coming from kitchen. "I don't live alone." Meredith put Alicia down.

"Meredith?" Izzie's curious voice came from somewhere closer. "Is that you? Who are you talking to?" She asked showing up in the small hall. Izzie gasped in shock to see Alicia there. She looked constantly from Alicia to Meredith and from Meredith to Alicia. "Meredith?" She finally stopped her gaze on Meredith.

"Hi Izzie!" Alicia waved sheepish at her. "Do you live with Izzie?" She asked looking up at Meredith. 

Izzie smiled kindly at Alicia, but then turned her gaze on Meredith again waiting for an explanation. "Meredith" 

"Yes, I live with Izzie and George. Do you remember George, right?" Meredith ignored Izzie's curiosity.

"George? Bambi?" Alicia laughed thrilled.

"That's right." Meredith nodded smiling. "Now let's take off the shoes and the jacket, ok?" Meredith helped her with her jacket and then hung theirs in hook. 

Alicia had just taken off her shoes when George showed up to see what was with all those voices. "Ally?" Same as Izzie, George stopped shocked when he met Alicia.

This time, more comfortable with the new house, Alicia opened her arms running towards George. "George!" She squealed happy jumping in his arms.

Still shocked, George acted by his first instinct and picked her up in arms, without taking his eyes from Meredith. "What is she doing here?" He asked her.

"I am sleeping here." Alicia hung on his neck and answered for Meredith. "… with Meri."

"Are you hungry, Ally?" Meredith asked trying like this to avoid her friends' curios stares. 

"Do you have cookies?" Alicia grinned.

"No cookies for you at this hour. And no… we don't have sandwiches with peanut butter and jelly either." Meredith laughed.

"Um… Mer?" Izzie cleared her throat irritated by Meredith's manner of avoiding an explication. "Should we wait for … daddy too?" she asked pointing to door.

"No" Meredith rolled her eyes. "I am uh… baby sitting for tonight. You don't have to make such a big deal out of this."

"He agreed to let you take care of his daughter without his supervision?" Izzie asked, her jaw dropping.

Meredith shrugged smiling. "He asked me to."

Izzie and George shared a knowingly look. "Interesting." Izzie muttered.

"There is nothing interesting. George, can you watch Ally while I take a quick shower?" Meredith asked George.

"Sure. Come with me, Ally!" George put Ally down and took her hand.

Climbing up the stairs, Meredith felt Izzie on her steps. "Izz" She stopped suddenly and turned around, almost making Izzie bump into her. "Go… do something else!" She glared her speaking on a commanding tone.

Izzie froze and turned around without any other insistence.

-------------------------------

Coming out of bathroom, Meredith heard laughs coming from her room. She smiled at the strange warm feeling of having a child's laugh in her house; it was something new to her and surprisingly pleasant. She walked in her room finding two too old children and one child fighting with tickles in her bed. "Someone will have to buy me a new bed." She cleared her throat laughing.

The laughs stopped in the same time with the tickles. Alicia jumped up on bed squealing. "Meri!" She opened her arms for Meredith to join her.

"Where do you get all this energy from? Earlier you were asleep." Meredith came over to her and sat down on bed pulling Alicia beside her. 

"I am not sleepy anymore." Alicia lay down putting her head on Meredith's lap. "I want to play." She said yawning, while Meredith brushed her hair with her fingers. 

"Let's take a bath first and then we'll play, ok?" Meredith suggested. 

Alicia stood up yawning and nodded. "But I don't have pajamas."

Meredith thought for a moment and then stood up from bed. She walked to her closet and fumbled after something proper for Alicia. She found a ratty shirt, from her years of college at Dartmouth, a small size, probably the only clothing item suitable as size for Alicia's small stature. 

"I let you get ready for bed." Izzie said standing up from bed in the same time with George. "We'll see you in the morning, Ally."

"No" Alicia cried. "Don't you want to play with us?"

"Some other time, Ally. Now we are all tired." George said.

"I am not tired." Alicia whined, though she couldn't stop from yawning and rubbing her eyes.

"Tell them good night, Ally!" Meredith stopped her whine pushing George and Izzie out of her room. 

"Night!" Alicia frowned as she grumbled grumpy collapsing in the middle of the bed. Her frown dissolved fast as the curiosity took over. She looked around her, scanning each part of Meredith's room; she did it fast because nothing catch her interest. Then she saw the shirt that Meredith had offered her as pajama. She made a grimace looking at Meredith. "Don't you have something pink?" She asked her.

Meredith laughed and shook her head. "No, I don't have anything pink. Now let's get you ready for bath. Do you want me to wash your hair?"

Alicia shook her head yawning. Despite her denials, she was deadbeat and looked like she was about to fall asleep any second. Meredith sighed discreetly, relieved to see how easy to handle Alicia was. Alicia hopped down from bed and followed Meredith in her bathroom.

----------------------

"Meri? Why is it raining so much?" Alicia asked while Meredith helped her get in bed.

There was a real shower outside with thunders and lightening. Meredith had closed the curtains, but the light was still passing through it immediately followed by a noisy thunder.

"I am not sure, Ally." Meredith replied getting herself in bed beside Alicia. She reached to her lamp and turned off the light.

"Daddy says that it rains when people are bad." Alicia continued her chatter; though she was much sleepier now, especially after the shower, she wasn't whiling to give up on her moments alone with Meredith. "But I didn't see any bad people here."

"You are lucky then, but there are many bad people all over the world." Meredith ran her fingers through Alicia's long hair.

"It means that here are many bad people." Alicia concluded innocently. 

Meredith giggled silently. "Maybe." She had just closed her eyes when suddenly something came back in her mind. She stood up, turned on the light and went over the chair where she had dropped her bag. Fumbling through it, she took out her mobile phone and checked it. She sighed relieved to see that there were no missing calls from Mark Sloan. "We forgot to tell your daddy where we are." Meredith said as she returned in bed. She flipped it open and looked for Mark's number while Alicia hopped up on her knees waiting patiently for Meredith to make the connection with her daddy.

"Hi! I suppose you are still in surgery." Meredith started when Mark's voicemail went on. "You forgot to give us the key to your apartment and I forgot to ask for it." She giggled. "So I brought Ally to my house. I suppose you will come to pick her up at the first hour in the morning. Just in case you decide to check if your daughter is still breathing during the night, you can call me. I'll leave the phone open. Now I am passing the phone to Ally to tell you Good night!" Meredith held out the phone for Alicia.

Alicia took it and brought it to her ear. "Hi daddy! Good night, daddy! I will sleep with Meri tonight. I love you! Bye!" She said fast sending him a noisy kiss in the end. "Here" She held out the phone for Meredith to take it back.

"Oh you don't know my address…" Meredith stopped suddenly. "Wait! I assume that you don't need me to tell you my address. I am sure you will track us down." Meredith giggled. "Have a flawless night! See you in the morning." Meredith snapped the phone shut and threw it on her nightstand. "Ok Ally, back to bed now!" She said as she held up the covers for Alicia to slide in.

Alicia lay down beside her, snuggling closer to her body. Meredith turned off the light and brought Alicia in her arms.

"Meri?" Alicia spoke muffled having her face sunk in the arch of Meredith's neck.

"What is it?" Meredith asked sleepy.

"Do you always sleep alone?" She asked.

Meredith laughed. "Yes" she lied. Then she felt Alicia moving her head, guessing that she was going to look up at her. Meredith opened the eyes and indeed, through the darkness she could see Alicia's eyes on her.

"Aren't you scared?" Alicia asked surprised. "I am always scared to sleep alone when it rains outside. Meri, why don't you live with your daddy?" She passed fast from one topic to another.

Meredith ran her fingers through Alicia's hair, brushing it slowly. She sighed being exhausted and not knowing what answer to give her. "Because when I grow up, I had to move out and live on my own." Meredith explained through a little lie. 

"I'll always live with my daddy." Alicia stated firmly. "You can move in with us if you are scared to sleep alone." Meredith watched deeply touched the sincerity and innocence that the little girl was showing. "I'll ask daddy to sleep with you from time to time. I'm not scared when I sleep with him." That was a statement that made Meredith giggled.

"I'll keep that mind." Meredith answered laughing, gently stroking the girl's cheek. She leaned to her and kissed her on forehead.

"Really?" Alicia's thrilled voice echoed louder.

"Yeah" Meredith laughed. "Now let's sleep, please!"

"Ok Meri! Good night! I love you!" Alicia nestled in Meredith's arms again.

Meredith couldn't stop from smiling after what she had just heard from Alicia. Meredith wasn't sure of it yet, but Alicia seemed to have a plan; a plan which include her too.

After a moment, while Meredith was thinking how wrong of Alicia would be to include her in her plans, Alicia gasped and jumped up in her sit.

"What's wrong?" That brought Meredith a scare and made her stand up fast and turn of the light. As the light filled the room again, she found Alicia's upset face. "What's wrong sweetie?"

"I don't have Lolo." Alicia mumbled.

"Aww" Meredith chuckled, gently caressing her cheek with the back of her hand. "It's only one night, Ally."

Alicia's frown deepened. "But I can't sleep without him."

"Of course you can." Meredith tried not to let the tiredness overtake her and misbehave in front of Alicia. "There's nothing we can do now! Your Lolo is at home and now it's too late to go take the key from your father." Meredith explained in calm warm voice.

Alicia didn't look comforted by Meredith's words. She fell back on bed sighing and letting out a quiet whimper.

"Wait me here." Meredith sighed and got out of the bed. She walked over to her closet and started fumbling through boxes. Alicia rolled over to watch Meredith from bed. Meredith finally found the box she was looking for and smiled relieved after she opened one of those boxes. From it, she took out something that looked like a white toy rabbit… aged and ragged.

As she identified the object from Meredith's hand, Alicia stood up curious. "This was my companion when I was little. You can have it." Meredith said bringing her the rabbit. Alicia looked at it visibly unpleasant by its old look; it didn't look as clean and smooth as her Lolo. "I know it looks … bad, but I always had nice dreams when I slept with it."

Halfheartedly, Alicia took it from Meredith and looked careful at it. She waved its long ears and caressed carefully its small blue tie. "What's his name?" Alicia asked curious. Slowly, she was starting to discover that it was still as soft and pleasant at touch as it was in Meredith's childhood.

"Uh" Meredith climbed up in bed next to her. "I'm not sure he had a certain name. He had many names." Alicia looked up at her curious. "You can name it if you want and if you like it, you can keep it."

Alicia smiled brightly. Though her eyes were heavy of tiredness, her face was lighting up with each smile that was creasing on her lips. "Bambi." Alicia decided, happily hugging the rabbit to her chest.

"Ok" Meredith laughed. "Now it's really, really late and we have to sleep." She said as she helped Alicia get back in bed. She turned off the light again and nestled with Alicia in her arms.

"Meri?" Alicia asked curious.

"More questions in the morning, Ally! Good night now!" Meredith leaned to kiss her forehead.

Alicia sighed resigned. "Good night, Meri! I love you!"

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_I'm not entirely happy with the way that I wrote this chapter, but I hope you liked it anyway._


	13. Strange behaviors, new attitudes

**Chapter 13 – Strange behaviors, new attitudes**

"Meredith, you have to stop act childish and wake up in this right instant!" Izzie bellowed standing at Meredith's side of bed.

Meredith growled nervous and pulled the covers over her head. The intention of hiding of Izzie was worthless because Izzie pulled the covers away from Meredith sending them at the bottom of the bed. A short whimper came from Alicia's side of bed as she felt the cold air from their bedroom.

"That wasn't necessary." George was more delicate than Izzie as he whispered reproachful to Izzie. He went to Alicia's side of bed and sat down beside her. Gently he shook her tiny frame and leaned to whisper to her ear. "It's time to wake up, Ally!"

Alicia whimpered again rolling over to hide her face from George.

"That was very helpful, George!" Izzie stated sarcastic. They were all going to run late for work if the two sleeping beauties wouldn't wake up soon and Izzie's patience was already out of limits. "Ok, we're switching the places." Izzie decided and crossed to the other side of the bed where George was. "You go take care of Meredith."

"Me? Why?" He asked her confused.

"Because someone needs to drag her out of bed and you are the man here… aren't you?" Izzie folded her arms across her chest smiling at George.

"Of course." George muttered nervous and crossed carefully over Alicia and Meredith. In the meantime, Izzie scooped Alicia from bed earning loudly giggles. "One's up" Izzie laughed cradling Alicia in her arms. "Do it already, George!" She shouted when she saw him staring confused at Meredith.

George sniffed annoyed by Izzie's hurry and sarcasm. "Mer, it's already passed 6 o'clock. You know Dr. Bailey hates when we are late for our shifts."

While George was speaking to Meredith, Izzie took care of Alicia tickling her tummy and making her laugh, being sure that like that the sleep wouldn't take her again. Maybe it was because of George's warning about Dr. Bailey or maybe because of Alicia's loud laughs, but surprisingly, Meredith jumped of the bed. Not even half-awake and scared by whatever made her leave the bed Meredith lost from her balance and almost fell in George's arms.

"I can't believe… you did it so easily." Izzie mumbled staring astonished at George's success.

"I know." George snickered as he took care that Meredith wouldn't fall and break something. "Calm down, Mer! Now that you are up, we are going to make it in time for work." He tried to calm her down when he saw her spinning around looking desperately for something.

"My phone… my phone." She mumbled desperate running her hands over the nightstand, still being a little blind because of the sleep.

Through the many things that she threw on floor, there was where her phone landed too. She was more stressed than she would have wanted about Mark's reaction at the news that she had left on his voicemail. George helped her picking up the phone and handing it to her.

Meredith took it and sat down at the edge of the bed. Firstly, she rubbed her eyes to banish the blurry vision and then opened the phone. She stared stunned at its display for a moment. There was no missing call, not even from Mark. "That's strange." She mumbled to herself.

"What's strange?' George asked her.

Meredith looked up at him with the same stunned look on her face. "Mark didn't call… at all."

"Meredith, he didn't have time to call you. It was already late when you and Ally went to bed. It's not like he would have called you in the middle of the night to check on you!" Izzie said. Meredith looked at her and raised an eyebrow suggestively. "Would he?" Izzie asked surprised.

"Is she still breathing?" Meredith asked looking at Alicia, who was still lying in Izzie's arms; her cheeks were flushed from the laugh that she had had until then and her blue eyes were sparkling completely awake. She was now just gazing curious at the grown-ups around her. "Good" Meredith sighed relieved as she answered herself.

"Don't stress yourself too much, Meredith." Izzie told her. "He is not going to hurt you for taking care of his daughter. If I remember right, you told me he asked you to take care of her as favor. Now breathe, relax and go shower." George nodded in agreement with Izzie grabbing Meredith by her shoulders and spun her around toward her bathroom. "Oh and who dressed Ally in that horrible outfit?" Izzie stopped in the doorway looking questioning at Meredith.

"Yeah!" Alicia hadn't been very convinced by Meredith's compliments over the outfit she had worn the previous day. She frowned and glared at Meredith.

"That was entirely Mark's fault. It was his choice." Meredith replied in defense.

"Luckily, I took care of her outfit for today." Izzie snickered at Alicia.

Meredith shrugged from George's hands and spun around threatening. "I hope you didn't destroy her clothes."

"No" Izzie laughed. "I didn't even touch them. Let's go, Ally!" Izzie carried Alicia outside without allowing Meredith to reply.

Grinning, George grabbed her shoulders again and spun her towards the bathroom pushing her inside. "Do you want to wash my back, George?" Meredith asked him annoyed and looked back at him with a glare. George had answered with a nod, but after he met her glare, his answer became a shake from his head. He spun on his heels and walked outside fast.

The shower was fast; she just threw some clean clothes on her and ran the brush through her hair a few times. Since she woke up, Meredith couldn't stop wondering what was going on with Mark. She had really expected to be woken up a couple of times during the night, because that was defining Mark; arrogant, annoying and unscrupulous.

The questions disappeared from her head when walking back into her bedroom, Meredith heard laughs coming from one of the nearby rooms. She giggled pleased to see how easy it had been to take care of Alicia and how great she was bonding with her roommates.

Passing by Izzie's room, Meredith made a step back and stopped in the doorway. All those laughs were coming from the little girl and the two elder kids. Meredith giggled quietly, her presence there still unnoticed by any of them, and leaned against the doorframe watching them.

Alicia was sitting on Izzie's lap, laughing hysterical as she was trying to stuff the rabbit's ears in George's ears. Izzie was braiding her long hair in one tail laughing in unison with Alicia, while George was at their feet making faces at Alicia. They looked indeed like three kids, of very different ages of course.

Meredith's amusement froze when she noticed the clothes that Alicia was wearing. "Izzie" She pushed herself from the doorframe and walked inside, her eyes gazing Alicia's new outfit. "Where did you find these clothes?"

"Meri!" Alicia squealed excited and opened her arms for Meredith.

Meredith smiled as pushed George out of her way and knelt in front of Alicia. She still could not get used with all the affection that Alicia was showing to her and everyday she was getting fonder of her.

"Izzie says these were your clothes when you were little just like me." Alicia said.

Meredith looked at the pink hoodie. She touched lightly the rainbow made of spring blossoms; she knew that design… she loved that design. "Where did you find these?" She asked Izzie, now gazing at the color of juicy melon of the pants that Alicia was wearing.

"I saw them once in one of the boxes that we carried down in basement when we first move here." Izzie answered.

"I didn't know I still have them." Meredith muttered to herself.

"There aren't many left. We also found a sweater, a dress and some baby clothes. Your mother had more style than you have now." Izzie remarked.

Meredith glanced up at her smiling slightly. "My dad had." She said and then looked back at those clothes. "This one was one of my favorites." She remembered touching again the soft cotton material of the hoodie. "Do you like this?" She asked looking at Alicia.

Though those were old clothes, they looked like new, therefore, Alicia had no reason to complain. Besides, she was now dressed in one of her favorite colors. "I like it very much, Meri!" Alicia nodded firmly and very convincing.

Meredith smiled and couldn't help but kiss her nose. "I guess you can keep them, then."

As gratitude, Alicia offered her the sweetest smile. "Thank you, Meri!"

"You're welcome, Ally!" Meredith leaned to her for another kiss. This time, as she leaned to her cheek, Meredith felt an unfamiliar scent. She sniffed for a few times and then looked up at Izzie confused.

"What's wrong?" Izzie asked her.

"The smell. I don't recognize their smell." Meredith explained.

Izzie laughed. "That's because I used one of my perfumes." She said. "If you expected to find a smell of your old clothes, then you were wrong, because everything smells like boxes now. We didn't like the smell so we sprayed some perfume on them."

"Oh" Meredith nodded, finally understanding. She let out a sigh and reluctantly stood up. "Why hasn't he called yet?" She muttered as she asked herself.

Izzie just groaned and rolled her eyes, and then she returned to Alicia's hair. In the meantime, George had moved to window and now he was gazing out. "Uh… now that is strange." He muttered.

"What's strange?" Meredith asked him curious as she walked to him.

"That black Volvo." George explained pointing outside. "It's been there parked across the street for almost an hour now."

"Maybe is waiting for one of our neighbors." Meredith answered without looking at the car that had caught George's attention. She was still preoccupied to check her phone.

"Maybe but the driver is still there. Do you think we should call 911?" George asked worried.

Meredith became interested of George's worry so she looked out on window. As she did that, she recognized the black Volvo. "That's Mark!" She gasped surprised. "Why is he standing there?" She asked more to herself, because in less than a second she was out of Izzie's room.

It was typical morning for Seattle; rainy and chill. As she stepped outside on porch, a flurry of rain and wind hit her, wetting her face and hair. From the moment that Meredith stepped outside, the car's door opened and Mark came out running towards her, which proved that he had been watching the right house.

"Finally!" He came to her, hugging himself from the cold weather.

"Mark, what are you doing here? I mean, why didn't you ring at door if you knew which house was mine?" Meredith asked him curious.

"I wasn't sure if you are awake now." Mark explained, jumping in place to keep himself warm.

"But… the lights are on." Meredith replied puzzled.

"The lights were on, one hour again too. By the way, have you ever considered saving the electricity and contributing less to pollution?"

"Are you actually worried about pollution?" Meredith laughed forgetting for a moment of the cold air they were standing in.

"Are we standing outside in rain and wind to talk about pollution?" Mark asked her irritated.

"Oh…" Meredith giggled. "Right! Come on in!" She pushed the door open again and led him inside.

Once they were back in the warmth of the house, both of them shivered. Mark shook himself of the rain that was dripping off him and sneezed as another shiver struck him. "No offense, but that was kind of stupid. You could have rung on door. We are usually up very early." Meredith shook her head as disagreement with Mark's decisions.

"And how was I supposed to know that?" Mark looked up at her glaring.

"What's wrong with you? Why haven't you called me at all?" Mark smiled at Meredith's jealous-wife attitude and hardly muffled a chuckle. "What's so amusing now?" She asked irritated.

Mark didn't say anything, but caught her off guard when he took her left hand. He held it by the tip of its fingers and looked at it amused. Staring at it and then up at Meredith, he smiled ironic. "I knew I didn't give you a ring."

Meredith's cheeks flushed of anger and she jerked her hand from him. "Jerk" She muttered nervous.

"Maybe." Mark chuckled and leaned to her to whisper to her ear. "But I'm a polite jerk. You are not used with nice gestures, huh?"

"What?" Meredith frowned.

Mark groaned annoyed. "I trusted you, ok. You called me last night, Ally told me goodnight. That was _me_ trusting _you_." Meredith stared at him speechless and shocked by Mark's moment of sincerity… or at least that was how it looked to her. "Now calm down and let's not make a big deal out of this." Mark continued. "I promise next time I will give you a call and maybe I'll tell how the sex is going in that moment."

Meredith's shock dispersed once that Mark was Mark again. "Can't you behave human for more 10 seconds?"

Mark grinned at her. "I'm human. Inappropriate is also human."

"I don't know why I keep hitting myself in head… with you." Meredith groaned as she turned on her heels. "Come and have a cup of coffee." She called for him without looking back.

Mark was tired…, cold…, and annoyed, but he was also feeling refreshed; something that he owed to Meredith. He smiled and followed her in kitchen.

Being the first one up, Izzie had taken care of the breakfast for her roommates. A sweet delicious smell of pancakes greeted them as they stepped in kitchen together and the black refreshing drink was waiting for them in the coffee machine.

"Take a seat." Meredith pointed to the dinner table as she walked to the counter where the coffee machine was. What she hadn't noticed was that Mark was closely behind her, therefore, as she looked behind her, Meredith gasped scared.

Mark smiled down at her, their bodies almost touching each other, their faces still inches apart. "I was thinking I could help you."

His breath blew warm over her face, sending hot waves through her body. She gulped and nodded pointing to the cupboard over the counter.

Mark smiled lingering close to her, before he went to the cupboard and took out two cups.

"Meredith" Mark said hesitantly as he came to her with the two cups. He stopped in front of her as if he was about to say something, but hesitated again and handed her the cups.

Meredith tried to ignore his strange behavior and put the two cups on counter. This wasn't one of his regular flirty dirty attitudes. Disquieted by his closure, Meredith accidentally hit over one of the coffee cups.

Mark grabbed the cup before it slipped off the counter and put it back on. "Listen…" He started clearing his throat.

Meredith looked up at him from the corner of her eyes. He was so close and intimidating. Somehow, she started to feel her cheeks burning. She was grateful that not all the lights in kitchen were on and the color of their faces was barely obvious.

"Thank you… for helping me with Ally!" Mark picked up the line of his thoughts and continued in a very serious and honest manner. "I appreciate your involvement." He made a step closer to her and his hand cupped her slim waist.

Meredith felt melting under his touch; his hand was hot, so was her inside. Her brain seemed to have stopped working properly; her knees felt weak. It was strange how a simple touch of his made her lose her self-control. She closed her eyes and surrendered. His breath came brushing over her face as his face lowered to hers. Meredith propped herself on his arms as her legs became weaker; her mouth involuntary searched for his. Everything felt her like in slow motion; their lips seemed too slow in meeting each other.

"Put her down, George or you are going to ruin her tail!" Izzie's nervous shout send them apart from each other.

Meredith faced the counter, holding her back to Mark, while Mark tried to compose himself and wrap his mind around what had just happened.

In that moment, two happy laughs came in kitchen with Alicia over George's shoulder, hanging with her head down and laughing hysterical at George's bounces. From the first sight, George's smile froze.

"Put her down right in this instant." Mark spoke pressing on each word. His voice was low, far from a shout, but was more horrifying than ever.

George complied in less than a second and brought Alicia back on her feet, holding her steady as she balanced a little dizzy.

"Hi daddy!" She ran to him as she regained the stability on her feet, hugging his legs as tight as he could.

Mark picked her up and smiled as they shared a few kisses. "I missed you, daddy!" Alicia hugged his neck fondly.

"I missed you too, angel!" Mark cupped her tiny smiling cheek and kissed the tip of her nose. "Have you been a good girl?"

Alicia nodded happy. "I was. You can ask Meri!" She said and pointed into Meredith's direction. As she looked at her, Alicia saw that Meredith was still having her back to them. Together with Alicia, Izzie and George also noticed that. If for Alicia it looked like Meredith was working on that coffee machine, Izzie and George guessed that something had happened in there.

George walked over to Meredith and grabbed one of the cups that Mark had taken out. As he handed it to Meredith, he noticed that she was trying to avoid an eye contact. "What's wrong?" He asked her in whisper. Meredith shook her head nervous to deny it, but it was useless. "Was he rude to you again?" He asked her, much louder this time and with shades of anger in his voice. His hands clutched into fists. Meredith just shook her head trying to be convincing, but biting her lip didn't help her.

George turned around and glared furious towards Mark. "George" Meredith came beside him, retaining him from his destination. But George jerked his arm from her hand and started off towards Mark more determined this time.

"Listen to me carefully!" He spoke calm contrasting with the anger from his eyes. Alicia was still in Mark's arms, gazing at George's reaction with curiosity. George didn't want to scare her so he kept the calm threatening tone of his voice. "Meredith did only great things for you, especially for Ally. She is a decent person who doesn't deserve all the shi… miseries you are giving her. In this house, under her roof, you are not our boss and I might not be as big and strong as you are, but Meredith is my best friend and I would like you to show some respect or keep the distance."

"George" Meredith came beside him and leaned to his ear. "He didn't say anything… but thanks."

George relaxed and all his previous anger was soon replaced with embarrassment. Mark had stared surprised at George's subtle threat and after Meredith calmed George down, he shifted his daughter on the other side of his arms and chuckled. "Nice" He said and then looked at Alicia. "It's time to go to kindergarten, baby."

"No!" Alicia frowned worried. "Already?"

"You can't go now." Izzie interfered fast. "She hasn't had breakfast and I made pancakes."

"Yes, daddy! Let's stay longer." Alicia pleaded him nicely.

"That's ridiculous. She needs to eat something at breakfast." Meredith finally found the gut to interfere too, though she kept her eyes away from Mark, gazing at Alicia. "You trusted to let her sleep over here, now you don't trust to let her eat?" She asked and glanced towards Mark.

"Izzie made pancakes and you never make me pancakes." Alicia was ready to play hard with him. She frowned reproachful and folded her arms across the chest.

Mark smiled nonchalant at her and put her down. "Go eat pancakes! I'll be waiting in living room." He said as he started walking out.

"How about your coffee?" Meredith asked him in a low hesitant voice.

"No, thank you!" Mark shook his head not looking back at either of them and left the kitchen.

Izzie picked Alicia up and put her in a chair while smiling suspiciously at Meredith. She hadn't misreading the attitude between Meredith and Mark like George did.

"What?" Meredith groaned annoyed, already knowing the reason for Izzie's grin.

"Something is burning." Izzie chuckled.

George and Alicia were the innocent ones who didn't get her hint. They sniffed and then they looked confused at Izzie.

"She is crazy. Ignore her." Meredith laughed at them caressing Alicia's head.

The breakfast was rather quiet. Alicia was too mesmerized by Izzie's delicious breakfast to start a new chatter and Meredith had already warned Izzie to keep her comments to herself.

After a big pile of pancakes and a glass of milk, Alicia decided she was full and stood up from table. Leaving George and Izzie to clean the table, Meredith led Alicia outside to her father. Walking in living room, Meredith looked confused around her. The poor lighted room was empty and Mark was nowhere to be seen.

"Meri, where is daddy? Do you have more living rooms?" Alicia asked confused.

Meredith giggled. "No" Passing beside the couch, they found Mark lying on it, face up and sleeping.

"He is sleeping." Alicia giggled silently.

"Yeah" Meredith was smiling surprised by the unexpected view. "Mark" She whispered as she leaned over him. Mark didn't answer in any way. "Mark" Meredith called him louder and shoved him lightly.

Mark sniffed groaning and rolled to one side facing away from Meredith and Alicia.

"Great." Meredith sighed. "I guess he will have to sleep here."

Alicia grinned up at her, obviously thrilled with the new turn of her day. She drew the blanket that was leaning over the couch over her daddy and lifted on tiptoes to reach to his cheek. "Sleep well, daddy!" Carefully, she made sure that her daddy won't be cold and then stepped back and took Meredith's hand. "Are you taking me to school?" She asked her in whisper.

Meredith smiled shaking her head. "Do I have any choice?" Alicia shook her head in response. "Let's write him a note. We don't want him to burn down my house and then to kill me."

"He won't kill you." Alicia giggled following Meredith to one of the nearby chairs. "He loves you."

"Sure" Meredith smiled and took a piece of paper and pen to write down the note.

"_Don't freak out, you are at Meredith's Grey place. We tried to wake you but we could find a fanfare. I took Alicia to kindergarten. _

_I'll leave you a spare key. You already know where the kitchen and the coffee are. Lock the door when you leave and return the key when you can._

_Meredith"_

* * *

_I know you want more MerMark interaction. I promise there will be, but before that, I have a special father-daughter moment for the next chapter. Please review!_


	14. Sweet little lie

**Chapter 14 – Sweet little lie**

The small couch from Meredith's living room proved to be very uncomfortable and painful for Mark's big stature. He started groaning and shifting from one side to another as his body became numb. Opening his eyes in exasperation for the rough place he was laying on, Mark suddenly jumped upright in his sit confused. He looked around the unfamiliar room, which was now sunken in a bright bath of light. Rubbing his eyes frustrated and exhausted, Mark tried to remember where was he and how did he get there. Beside him, on the couch's arm, a remote control was holding underneath a piece of paper.

"_Don't freak out, you are at Meredith's Grey place. We tried to wake you but we couldn't find a fanfare. I took Alicia to kindergarten. I'll leave you a spare key. You already know where the kitchen and coffee are. Lock the door when you leave and return the key when you can._

_Meredith."_

Reading Meredith's note, everything started come back to his mind. Mark put the paper down and looked again around him. He was indeed in Meredith's house. He threw away the blanket that had kept him warm and stood up. Meredith said in her note that he knew where the kitchen was. Mark took a moment to think about it and remembered.

Walking in kitchen, Mark found the room in the same bright light of the sun as the living room. "Coffee." He muttered slowly processing everything that he needed to do and where he could find things in her kitchen. The dirty mug of coffee from counter, beside the coffee machine, disquieted him. The fresh memory of him and Meredith beside that counter mesmerized him. He fixed a spot on floor in his sight and his stare became blank as if Meredith was there with him again. "I need to get out of here." He snapped back to reality shaking his head to banish the thoughts that were running through his mind. It was frustrating to him for not knowing the reason for his obsession. He had seen better… he had had better. As far as he knew, he could not allow that obsession to develop.

--

It was late in the morning when Mark left Meredith's house and headed to his. The rest of the morning and during the noon, Mark called some people to come help him with Alicia's room. By the afternoon, her room was clean and ready to welcome its dweller.

Mark knew that this was one of the days when Alicia had her dance lessons in the afternoon so, he didn't hurry when he left to pick her up from school. He kept his mind busy from Meredith with thoughts about Alicia; her reaction to the new look of her room, news that she would like to share with him about her day, plans he was making for his evening with his daughter. A dinner to restaurant, one of Alicia's Disney DVDs and a bedtime story seemed like a good pleasant time for Mark.

As he was driving thoughtful on the highway, Mark realized that the road he had taken wasn't familiar. He had been to Alicia's new kindergarten only one time; on her first day and he was the one that had driven her there… guided by Meredith. He pulled the car on the side of the road and hit his fist against the steering wheel. "Damn!" He muttered nervous. "She said north." Mark tried to remember Meredith's instructions. He looked up at the indicator signs "Lynnwood. That's west, I think."

The traffic was crowded, so Mark couldn't turn the car to go back and head to the right direction. He had to make a detour until he reached to a square and turned the car driving back.

After nearly 45 minutes, Mark entered the parking lot. Since that seemed to be a very bad day for him, Mark also found the parking lot very crowded. Wandering around it, he finally found an available spot. Nervous, he got outside in rain, shut the door and locked it. Being so nervous, he wasn't even bothered anymore that the rain was drenching him and walked at his normal pace.

Stepping inside the building, he shook the excess of rain off his hair and jacket and after a shiver started focusing on his next stop. "How was the name?" He muttered confused trying to remember the location and the name of Alicia's class.

Stairs. He had climbed up some stairs when Meredith was with them. He took it on the first stairs that showed up in his vision line, but as he reached upstairs, he met an unfamiliar corridor. Mark was sure that he had taken the wrong way. He returned downstairs and decided to ask for some help; he had lost a lot of time already and his nerves were already pushed to extremes.

A young couple together with their little daughter was passing by near him. The tiny skinny girl was waving her dark curls cheerful as she was sprinting between her parents.

"Excuse me." Mark stopped them and the young couple looked at him questioning. "I'm looking for … the green meadow room, I think it's called."

The couple smiled at each other and the man snickered. "You are new here, aren't you?"

Mark's present mood hardly accepted their reaction. He nodded, hardly trying to hide his frustration.

"Climb up those stairs…" The man started giving him the direction as he pointed to some further stairs. "…walk down the hall and somewhere on the right side you might find it. Each class is labeled."

"Thanks." Mark nodded simply and hurried to follow the instruction.

"Wait." The man's voice called after him to stop.

Reluctantly, Mark stopped and looked back at him.

"Next time try not to avoid the name of the class. It's cute, but it sounds silly." The man chuckled. "Try search it after the teacher's name."

Mark groaned silently and nodded. Then he hurried to go get his daughter and leave that place already.

The class was noisy when Mark got there and looked inside on the small window. He tried to spot his daughter fast so that his exit from there to be faster.

Mark pushed the door open and his presence was immediately noticed by Mrs. Kendrick, Alicia's teacher.

"Mr. Sloan?" She greeted him smiling, but in the same time slightly confused as if she wasn't expecting him there.

Mark tried to smile politely and walked inside the classroom. "I came to take Alicia home."

"Sure." Mrs. Kendrick nodded confused looking to spot Alicia in a group of girls.

Alicia was indeed in a group of 6 girls of her age, all of them laughing at a game with cards. Feeling her father's presence, Alicia looked up and met his smile. Her laugh stopped suddenly and then the smile faded slowly.

"Ally!" Her teacher made her a sign to come to them. "Your father is here!" She shouted.

Mark was surprised and slightly worried when he saw the reluctance from her movements as she stood up. Once she was up on her feet, Alicia smiled sheepishly and came over to him.

"How is Meredith?" Mrs. Kendrick asked him trying to make a conversation with him while they were waiting for Alicia to come. "I hope everything is well with her." She smiled sympathetic at Mark.

Mark was confused and worried for Alicia's sudden mood swing, but Mrs. Kendrick's words also made him curious. He looked at her puzzled. "She is fine." In the meantime, Alicia had come to them. "Hey Ally." Mark greeted her smiling as he leaned to pick her up in arms. "How are you, sweetie?" He kissed her on cheek and brushed the back of his hand against her cheek. "Are you feeling sick?"

"Oh no. She was very cheerful today." The teacher answered for her. "She kept bragging with her outfit." She added laughing.

For the first time that day, Mark noticed the unfamiliar clothes she was wearing. "Who gave you these?" He asked her curious. Alicia smiled guilty and hided her face rubbing her forehead against his shoulder. "Ally?" Mark laughed more curious.

"I think she said it was her mommy." Mrs. Kendrick said smiling kindly at Alicia.

In that second, Mark's heart stopped and felt his body freezing. "Ally?" He asked panicked.

"Let's go, daddy!" Alicia whined muffled from his shoulder, obviously not willing to answer.

"Her backpack is ready. I'll go bring it." Mrs. Kendrick offered.

Mark took advantage of the private moment that Mrs. Kendrick had offered them, to look careful at his daughter. He cupped her cheek and made her look at him. She wasn't upset, but she embarrassed and guilty. "Sweetie… didn't someone visit you today at school or …" He wanted to ask about the time she had spent at Meredith, but then he thought that it was an absurd presumption because it was late when Meredith picked up Alicia from kindergarten. "Don't be afraid to tell me. We don't have secrets, remember?"

"Nobody." She muttered quietly. Mark could be sure that she was honest, but there was that guilty look from her eyes very confusing for him.

Mrs. Kendrick came then with Alicia's backpack. "There you go." She handed it to Mark and then leaned to Alicia. "I'll see you tomorrow, Ally!" Then she looked at Mark. "Tell Meredith I said hello."

That was another confusing thing for Mark. Why was she keeping asking and mentioning Meredith?

"I will." Mark nodded. "Goodbye, Mrs. Kendrick!" He saluted her and hurried to leave.

--

Mark tried to make Alicia talk to him about whatever was bothering her, but all the way back home, he didn't succeed more than little tells about her day at kindergarten.

"I have a surprise for you." Mark smiled and winked at her.

Alicia smiled excited at the idea of a surprise, but that guilt was still there in her eyes, blocking her from being cheerful as usual. Mark decided to give her time. Whatever she was feeling guilty for must have been a mischievous behavior, which she would confess at one point. He was more intrigued of the teacher's words when she said 'it was her mommy' referring at Alicia's new clothes.

Pushing the door open from Alicia's bedroom, Mark invited her inside. Alicia walked inside making small steps, but with each step she was making, the smile and the thrill from her face were growing more.

The walls were painted in purple pink, small posters with princesses from tales, stars and butterflies of matching colors with the walls and different sizes were hanging on walls. The orange thin curtains were flowing over the windows; Meredith had sewed tiny butterflies as embroideries in light tones of different colors. Her large bed was the same one she had had before, but it was now all white and the sheets and the covers were illustrated with cartoons characters. A white little desk, which was holding only one lamp in that moment, had been set beside the window, at the bottom of her bed. Her toys and stuffed animals had been also spread all over the room, including on her bed.

From the middle of the room, Alicia was gazing amazed at all the new and known things from her bedroom. "Daddy!" She muttered in a chocked voice as she held out one hand without looking at him.

Mark chuckled satisfied. It was clearly how much Alicia was impressed with the new look of her room. He took her hand and knelt beside her. "It looks how you wanted it to look?" Mark asked her and kissed her.

Alicia looked at him, her face radiating of happiness, and nodded firmly. "Thank you, daddy!" She leaned to him and hung on his neck sinking her face in his shoulder. "But I don't deserve it." She whispered with a sad voice and a sigh escaped her chest.

Mark was now very worried. He took her head between his hands and met the sad expression from her face, her eyes were looking down avoiding his. Mark stood up and walked over to bed. "Come here, sweetie." Mark called her patting the place in bed beside him. Alicia glanced up at him and hesitated, her feet remained in place. "You know we can talk about anything." Mark spoke calm and kind, showing her his patience.

Alicia walked to him with small steps and stopped in front of his knees. When Mark took her by her arms to pick her up, Alicia shrugged out from his hands. "Al" Mark put a finger under her chin and made her look up at him. "What happened?"

With her face held up to him, Alicia tried to look into a different direction than the one of his eyes. "I lied." She mumbled.

Mark let off her chin and her eyes fell down to floor again. He sighed relieved. A lie wasn't something that tragic and he was impressed to see the results of the education he and his mother had given her. If keeping a secret wasn't one of her biggest attributes, then relating a lie was the biggest; even if her lie had been innocent, like eating one extra cookie, after a short time she came to confess her sin knowing that she would be half-forgiven. As soon as he sighed relieved, as soon he looked terrified. Alicia's new clothes… the word mommy coming from her teacher… "Al" Mark spoke fearful. "Who gave you these clothes?" He asked her in a calm low voice.

Alicia bit her lip and looked at her father from under the arch of the eyebrows. "Mer-edith" She whispered almost spelling Meredith's name.

Mark closed his eyes breathless and only after he started feeling dizzy, he remembered to breathe. He inhaled and exhaled deeply trying to calm down the wave of anger. Mark opened his eyes only when he heard Alicia's sob. After he had closed his eyes, Alicia had more courage and looked at him, carefully watching his reaction. She felt him angry, so the fear overwhelmed her.

"Come here." Mark spoke calm, though his tone was a little rougher and tilted his head pointing the place in bed he had offered her a minute ago.

Alicia climbed up in bed with a little help from Mark and sat down tucking her legs under her. Her hands were dithering in her lap and her eyes were watching them.

Mark caressed gently the back of her head and leaned to kiss the top of it. "Now you can tell me everything. Who did you lie to?"

"Mrs. Kendrick…" Alicia mumbled. This time her hands stopped and rested together in her lap, her eyes without letting them off sight. "… Carrie… Katie, Anna… Patrick, Mimi." She stopped as the list finished.

Mark closed his eyes for a fraction of second and then asked her staring ahead. "What did you tell them?"

Alicia hesitated and watched her father from the corner of her eyes. "Don't be mad, please." She begged him with a crying low voice. Mark looked at her and smiled. "I told them…" Alicia mumbled sheepishly and paused for a second. "… that Meri is my mommy."

Mark sighed and nodded as she confirmed his fear. The worst part from this lie was that he could not blame Meredith for it or any other person; not even his daughter. Mark looked at her and put an arm around her shoulders leaning her to him. "Why did you tell them this?"

Alicia looked up at him. Her face was now only sad; she had confessed the lie and together with it the guilt faded. "Because they asked me this morning if Meri was my mommy." She explained.

"Why did you tell them that she was your mommy?" He knew the answer for it already, but he asked her anyway.

"Because I like Meri." Alicia started. Mark nodded, knowing that answer. "and because everyone has a mommy… everyone but me." She ran her palm over her face to wipe a tear. "I want to have a mommy too, daddy. Why can't I have one?" her eyes were tearing already, overflowing down her face, when she looked up at her father.

Mark wiped her face with two gentle caresses over her cheeks and leaned to kiss her nose. "But you have me and grandma."

Alicia looked down disappointed. "But I don't have a mommy." She added sadly.

Mark tightened his arms around her, hugging her to his chest. "Do you wish so much to have a mommy?" Stupid question, he said to himself right after he put it. He knew this as one of her wishes.

Alicia nodded her head in his chest in reply. "I never had a mommy?" She asked him between sobs.

"No… never." Mark answered immediately, with anger as the memory of Natasha came back to him.

"But Anna says that everyone has a mommy. Why don't I have one?" She asked him.

Mark was crying his own pain; his daughter's pain, the pain because he could have done better to prevent this moment and this lie. "You will have one." He whispered down to her ear and kissed her temple.

"Pro- promise?" She looked up at him hiccupping. A sparkle of hope showed up in her eyes.

"I promise." Mark smiled comforting.

Alicia stood up and knelt in Mark's lap, hanging on his neck with both hands, sinking her face in the curve of his neck and burst into a harder cry.

"Hey" Mark rubbed his hand against her back with slow gently movements. "Don't cry. I promised you, didn't I?"

Alicia nodded sobbing. "Than… k you… daddy." She spoke between sobs. She knew that if her daddy promised her something, he would keep his promise.

Mark had no idea how he was going to keep his promise to her, but he knew he had to do his best. He scooped her up on arms and rocked her back and forth feeling her body limp.

"How… how are you going to find… a mommy?" She asked his quietly.

Mark chuckled. That was a good question and the hardest. "I'll find a way." He answered assuring.

"Can was ask Meri if she wants to be my mommy?" She asked him.

Mark gazed at her for a moment. "You really like her, don't you?"

Alicia ran her palm over her face to brush away a strand of hair. "I do" She answered with a convincing nod. "So can we?" She asked him again, when she saw him silent.

Mark shook his head.

"Why?" Alicia frowned.

"Because it's not nice to go beg to get a mommy." Mark answered.

"We won't beg. We'll ask her… nicely." Alicia retorted.

Mark leaned to her and kissed her before he brought her upright on his legs. "Alicia, you are a wise girl so you have to understand that you can't just go and ask a person to be your parent."

"Why?" Alicia asked frowning at him.

Mark sighed puzzled. "Because nobody does this." He answered simply. Alicia pouted resigned. "And now you have to tell your teacher and your friends the truth about Meredith." Mark continued.

Alicia looked at him terrified and shook her head. "I told you about it." She said whining referring at the fact that she had admitted her lie.

"You told _me _about it, but I wasn't the lied one. You have to tell _them_ the truth." Mark explained keeping the calm in his voice.

"No!" Alicia shouted protesting and tears were about to form in her eyes again. "They are going to laugh at me and call me a liar!"

"Then you shouldn't have lied." Mark raised his voice at her with a harsh tone.

Alicia pushed him nervous and jumped from his leg. Turning to him again, she kicked his leg. "You are a liar too!" She screamed with fury, tears streaming down her face.

"Watch your attitude missy and keep your voice down!" Mark stood up making a step forward to Alicia. "I don't know when I lied to you, but you are not going to continue with this charade about Meredith in front of your teacher and your friends!" Shouting at her, Mark was able to release from anger and managed to calm down a little. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "If Meredith will find out about this, she might not like you anymore. Maybe she won't want to be friend with a little girl that says lies." Mark tried to explain her in a simple manner.

Alicia continued to cry and folding her arms across her chest, her lips pouted. "I'll tell her about it and she won't mind." She mumbled.

In that moment, Mark's mobile phone started ringing in the pocket of his jacket. Mark ignored the first two rings, but at the third, he pulled the phone out of his pocket. "Not now." He groaned. He hadn't looked at the caller's ID because he knew already who it was… the last person he was in the mood for. "If you won't tell her, then I will and if this happens, then you are not going to be very easy forgiven for it by Meredith." Mark warned her.

Alicia looked away sniffing and continued to cry silently while her father answered the phone.

"Hi mom." Mark answered with a bored, rather irritated tone.

"It's nice to hear you too, Mark." Mrs. Sloan replied with sarcasm. "I won't ask you how are you because I can tell from your voice that you are as bitter as always. How is my granddaughter though?" She asked.

"We are both fine." Mark mumbled glaring at Alicia, who didn't seem ready to give up to her tantrum.

"Sure and I've found myself a new husband." Mrs. Sloan replied in the same sarcastic tone. "We haven't talked for a few days now, so tell me what have you done with Alicia's kindergarten? Did you enroll her to any?"

"Yes" Mark answered irritated.

A moment of pause fell between them, while Crystal was waiting for Mark to give her more details about Alicia's new kindergarten. "Does she take some extra classes too?" She finally decided to push him.

"Meredith enrolled her to ballet and dance." Mark replied bored not paying too much attention to what he was saying.

Then he heard his mother chuckling. "I can wait to finally meet this Meredith." She said. "She seems precious."

Mark felt his hand sweating on phone as well as his forehead. He remained quiet, cursing himself for mentioning Meredith's name in his answer. Alicia had taken care to inform her grandma about her new friend and Crystal was pleased to hear the uncommon thing. Immediately she knew that Meredith wasn't just an ordinary woman in Mark's eyes if he had allowed her to be friend with his daughter.

"How is Amanda?" he asked monotone changing the subject.

Crystal chuckled again at Mark's refuse to share his secret feelings. Then her tone became serious. "She is still grieving after Harold's death, but she's started to go outside in the backyard. Jason is making all the preparations to take her with him in Europe, so I'll see you in about two or three weeks… if will be still needing me." She paused for a moment before she referred at Meredith's unexpected help and presence in their life.

Mark wasn't enjoying very much to listen to his mother's subtle hints. "I assume you want to talk to Ally." He cut her off and handed the phone to Alicia.

Alicia had understood already who was on phone, so she hurried to take it from her father. "Grandma!" She started crying at phone.

Crystal cheerful voice became suddenly worried. "Ally sweetie, what's wrong?"

"I miss you grandma. Come to me." Alicia cried with a begging voice.

"I miss you too, sweetie and I promise I will come over there very soon, just be a little more patient, ok?" Crystal promised in attempt to soothe the pain that was making her cry so badly. "Now tell me … why are you sad?"

"I said a lie." Alicia confessed without any hesitation. "I want to have a mommy…" She sobbed. "… and daddy doesn't let me ask Meri to be my mommy."

"Don't worry, my sweetheart. Grandma will be there soon and she is going to take care of everything, ok? Now don't stay pouted and tell me how is at your new kindergarten? Do you like it?"

"I do" Alicia answered still sobbing.

"I can see that you're not in the mood for chatting." Crystal laughed. "Did you have dinner already?"

"No" Alicia answered.

"Then go tell your daddy that if he wants your forgiveness, then he should invite you to a nice restaurant." Crystal suggested. "And tell him that he should also invite Meri to thank her for all her help so far."

"I don't think he wants to." Alicia replied sad.

"Oh he wants to, trust me!" Crystal laughed confident. "I can't stay too long now at phone, but we are going to meet very soon and then you are going to tell me everything about your new kindergarten, your new friends and about Meri."

"Ok, grandma." Alicia sighed disappointed.

"Smile, sweetie and no more tears, ok?"

"Ok." Alicia replied unconvincing.

"Don't be very mad on your father. He has always been slow and silly." Crystal said. Alicia giggled between sobs. "I love you, Ally!"

"I love you too, grandma!" With that, Alicia shut the phone and put it on her bed.

Mark was still in her room, sitting on the small chair from her desk. His body was turned to her and he was watching her. Alicia locked eyes with her father and they both gazed at each other in an awkward silence. Slowly, the fury was fading from both sides.

Mark held out his hand for her and this time, Alicia didn't hesitate to go take it. Mark brought her on his lap and wrapped his arms around her. "I promise I am going to keep my promise." He whispered to her ear and kissed her. "We won't tell Meredith or anyone about your lie. Not yet, but we are going to do it at one point. First we have to find you a good excuse for it."

Alicia abandoned her body in his arms, resting her head on his chest. "Thank you." She mumbled.

"You know you are my little angel, right?" Mark asked in whisper.

Alicia looked up at him. Her eyes were now red but no longer wet and she was finally smiling again. "I know."

Mark smiled and traced the outline of her cheek with his finger.

"Daddy?" She bit her lip preparing her request. "Can we go out and eat?" She asked him.

Mark nodded relieved to see her calm and sweet again. "Of course. We can go someplace fancy so that you can wear one of your pretty dresses."

Alicia's eyes lightened up with excitement and nodded in agreement. "Call Meri and tell her to come with us."

Mark's face tensed instantly. "Why?"

"She helped you my kindergarten and took care of me. You have to thank her and invite her to dinner." Alicia explained exactly how her grandma had suggested.

"Thanks mom." Mark muttered under his breath. "I am not sure if she will want to. Maybe she is at hospital."

Alicia grinned at him and jumped from his lap. She ran back to her bed and took the phone. Turning around to Mark, she showed him the phone. "Call her."

Her daddy had promised, her grandma had promised, so she wasn't worried anymore. Her mommy was on her way, whoever that mommy was going to be.

--

**Isn't she a sweetie? and if Mark is going to call Meredith and invite her for dinner, it won't be just because Ally asked him to invited her or because he owes her :)  
**

**Believe me, I really wish I could update this one daily, but this isn't my only fic and I don't have so much free time, but I _am_ writing at it daily. The next chapter might be longer than this one so don't expect it this week.**

PS: For those who are reading my other MerMark fic, Let it change us, an update will up in a day or two.


	15. Their secret family

_**N/A: I wasn't lazy, honestly. I've just been very busy lately, but I finally brought the new chapter up.**_

_**Thank you Murgy31 for editing this chapter. She is my new Beta reader for this fic. Slowly, with her help, each chapter will be replaced so there won't be any grammatical errors in it.**_

_**This doesn't have that much Mer/Mark in it, but I enjoyed myself too much writing about Mark and Alicia together and so I realized I had written 10 pages in Word and I had to stop. **_

_**I already started the next chapter "Dinner, conversation and... a kitten", but I don't know when I'll finish it :)**_

--

**Chapter 15 – Their secret family**

From her father's arms, Alicia was staring dumbfounded at the scrawl from the OR board. The lines of her forehead had been frowned of worry as her father was staring in silence at that board and she wasn't receiving any information.

Whispers and giggles had crowded the counter from the nurses' station because of the young female doctors and nurses gathered around it. It didn't matter if some of them had ended their shifts minutes ago, the pleasure and the curiosity held them extra hours in the hospital. It was interesting for them to find out why Dr. Mark Sloan together with his daughter, both of them dressed very elegant, were studying the OR board with such interest.

"Did you find her?" Alicia whimpered in despair.

"I did." Mark smiled proudly at her and shifted her body on his left side. "Do you want to give her the dress?" He asked her showing her the shopping bag he was holding.

Alicia smiled and nodded with excitement. "Give it to me."

Mark dropped the bag in her tiny hand and started walking again. "We might have to wait for her for a few minutes, because she is still working."

"Ok" Alicia was fine with the waiting as long as she would have Meredith with her for the rest of the evening. "Where are we going now?" She asked her father, curiously looking around her. The crowd forming around the nurses' station caught her attention and made her smile.

"I am not sure." Mark seemed to have changed his mind regarding his first thought for their destination. He stopped and looked at Alicia. "Do you want to see her working?" He asked her.

The huge smile on her face was already an answer for him. "I do." She nodded and slowly her smile started to fade away. "Is there a lot of blood?" Alicia asked him fearfully.

Mark chuckled and shook his head. "It's a laparoscopic surgery so there isn't too much blood." He laughed as Alicia sighed with relief. "Let's go watch her."

"Let's go!" Alicia agreed.

--

Mark walked inside the gallery, still carrying Alicia in his arms, and sat down in the first seat he found. Though the procedure was simple and there wasn't too much to learn from observing it, there a few doctors gathered in a small group chattering over the procedure. Nobody from that group observed Mark and Alicia's arrival at first, but as Alicia started whimpering because she was too far from the window, all the heads turned to look at them. They tried to act indifferent to their presence there at first and looked back down in the OR.

"I can't see her." Alicia whimpered from her father's lap, bending ahead to see closer on the window. Without a comment or even a glance to the rest of the audience, Mark stood up and moved downer on the first row.

The OR room wasn't very crowded; just two nurses and the two doctors who were performing the surgery, Meredith being one of the doctors.

"I still can't see her." Alicia complained. "Which one is Meri?" She asked her daddy almost ready to jump off his lap.

Alicia's constant complains, made the rest of the audience present there to stare curious at Mark. What got their interest more was the name of Meri, already suspecting to whom Alicia was referring.

Mark felt the curiosity from their stares even the moment he and Alicia stepped inside the gallery, so when he heard a few giggles and whispers after Alicia mentioned Meri, Mark turned to look at them with an intimidating glare. In less then a second he whipped off their stares as they turned to observe the surgery again.

Already annoyed, Alicia frowned looking at her father and tugged him on his arm. "Daddy." She gritted through her teeth.

"Al, you should keep your voice down because you are bothering the others." Mark whispered to her ear and Alicia immediately turned to check it that was true. As she did that, she also caught a few glances.

"Hi" She smiled whispering and waved to them.

Those few glances smiled back and met again Mark's glare.

"Which one is Meri?" Alicia asked her father, in a loud whisper.

Mark was already regretting for choosing to come and wait for Meredith in there. He groaned silently and pointed down in the OR. "Do you see that big man?" He pointed out to the Chief of Surgery, Dr. Weber. Alicia followed Mark's finger and nodded. "Now you see the other person who stays close to him?" Mark asked her moving his finger now towards Meredith's direction.

"I see her!" Alicia squealed in excitement, gaining a deserved shush from her father. She climbed down from his lap and walked over the window, propping her hands and face against it.

That was the moment when Meredith noticed her presence there. She looked up at her, confusion written in her eyes and then, behind Alicia, she saw Mark. Meredith stared at him with a questioning expression in her eyes, slightly worried.

When Alicia saw Meredith looking up at her, she waved and laughed excitedly. "She saw me." She muttered to herself, the thrill obvious in her voice.

"Come here, Ally and sit quiet!" Irritated by the constant stares of the other doctors, Mark snapped at Alicia and pulled her back to him. She complied without a whine, satisfied that she was having Meredith in her sight.

After a few moments of silence while everyone watched the surgery, Alicia concluded. "Is that doctor, a magician?" She asked her father without letting Dr. Weber out of her sight.

"Why are you asking that?" Mark chuckled.

"Because he heals that man with his eyes closed." She explained and turned to look to her father. "Is he a real magician?"

"Kind of." Mark chuckled again. "He has a screen on which he sees what's inside that man's body."

Staring at her father, her mouth dropped open with shock.

"What's wrong?" Mark asked her amused by her cute shocked expression.

Alicia looked back and forth from her father to Dr. Weber. "Can he see in my tummy too?"

Mark started laughing kissing the top of her head. "He has a machine for that." He explained, hardly holding back another laugh.

"So he doesn't know Dumbledore." Alicia muttered under her breath with disappointment.

"Who?" Mark asked her curiously.

"Dumbledore!" Alicia rolled her eyes exasperated by her father's clueless.

Mark still didn't understand and continued to stare at her confused.

"Harry Potter." One of the young residents explained better for Alicia, together with his friends nearly bursting into laugh.

Mark gave them another glare while he kissed his daughter's head. "You should stop with this obsession of yours for Harry Potter, Al. That is fiction and nothing from that story is real."

Alicia looked back at him, frowning and glaring at her father. "Liar."

Mark gave her a stern look, frowning at the insolent tone of her voice. "We'll talk about this some other time. Now please stay quiet or we go straight back home." He warned her.

Alicia turned her face away from her father and leaned her back against his chest, quietly looking for Meredith. Because she couldn't recognize her anymore, Alicia panicked and went back to the window. "I can't see her." She muttered. "I can't see her anymore, daddy." She whined louder, turning back to look for her father's help.

Mark looked down in the OR and saw that Meredith wasn't indeed in there. Then he understood that she might have left the surgery to come see them. "Let's go." He said in a hurry and picked up Alicia in his arms.

"Where?" She asked him with the same panic in her voice. "We are going to find Meri?"

Mark didn't answer and just left the gallery and went down to meet Meredith before she could come up and feed even more the curiosity of the other doctors. As he had expected, they met her when she was ready to come up to them.

"Hi, Meri!" Alicia let out a happy squeal, holding out her both arms for a hug.

Confused, Meredith took Alicia from Mark's arms and gave her a kiss. "What's wrong?" She asked Mark while she put Alicia down. "Is she sick?" She asked him. "Are you feeling sick, Ally?" She asked Alicia too and the girl shook her head as response.

"Do you think that if there was anything wrong with my daughter, we would have come to watch your surgery?" Mark asked her sarcastically.

Though his tone irritated her, Meredith knew she had had a bad judgment and Mark was right. "Why did you come to watch my surgery then?" She asked them.

"We are going to the restaurant, Meri." Alicia informed her grinning.

"And you are coming with us." Mark added, trying as much as possible to sound causal and indifferent.

"I am? Why?" Meredith lifted an eyebrow suspiciously. "Are we celebrating anything?" She asked looking down at Alicia.

Alicia giggled amused and shook her head. "Grandma said we should go to a restaurant." She explained.

"I knew it." Mark groaned, muttering under his breath, shaking his head disapprovingly.

His reaction bothered Meredith no matter how much Alicia's invitation had impressed her. "I don't think I should come." She said to Alicia but glaring at Mark.

"Why?" Alicia asked her.

Meredith knelt at Alicia's level and smiling, brushed her cheek with the back of her hand. "I think your grandmother meant to say that you and your daddy should go to the restaurant.

Meredith hadn't finished her explication when Alicia started shaking her head. "No, no." She hurried to explain. "Grandma said to invite you."

Meredith looked up at Mark trying to the read his mood from the expression of his face features. He was nervous, looking into a different direction. "I can't go." Meredith concluded and looked apologetically at Alicia. "I think your father wants to have the dinner with you only tonight." As she said that, she felt Mark's eyes staring at her. Meredith looked up at him confronting him.

"He doesn't!" Alicia whined. "Tell her!" She muttered nervous and tugged his hand desperately.

Mark looked straight in Meredith's eyes as he answered. "We came to invite you to dinner."

Meredith narrowed her eyes, suspiciously staring at him. "Ok" She answered unconvincingly. She stood up and made a step closer to Mark, leaning a little to his ear. "Is it because of… what happened this morning?" She asked him in whisper, referring at their almost intimate moment in Meredith's kitchen.

"Nothing happened this morning." Mark answered calmly. "We are both grown-ups who understand that nothing actually happened this morning."

"Ok" Meredith nodded, a little confused by his answer and mostly by the calm tone of his voice. "Uh… I should stop by my house to get dressed." She said. "I didn't come to work today prepared with a fancy dress." She added pointing out Mark and Alicia's fancy outfits.

"We brought you a dress." Surprisingly, Mark informed her before Alicia could say anything or even show her the shopping bag she was holding.

"Here is the dress." Alicia told her lifting the bag with both hands for Meredith.

Meredith took the bag from Alicia's hand without stopping from staring suspiciously at Mark. "You bought me a dress?" She asked him.

Mark shook his head as answer. "You bought it; when you went out to shopping with Ally."

"It's that pretty dress, Meri! Go and put it on!" Alicia urged her.

"Ok" Meredith muttered not understanding very well what was going on.

--

After they gave the dress to Meredith, Alicia and Mark left to wait for her downstairs in the main lobby, despite Alicia's discontent of not going with her.

"Why isn't she coming?" Pacing impatiently around her father, Alicia stopped with a hopeless attitude in front of him.

"She is coming." Mark groaned, discreetly hiding his irritation because of Alicia's impatience.

"When?" She asked him with the same exasperation in her voice.

"Ally, please stay still and stop whining." Mark told her and pulled her gently to him. He drew the sleeve of his shirt upper to shower the watch. "She said she would meet us down here in 20 minutes."

Alicia stared clueless at his watch and then looked up his again. "In a minute?" She asked him hopefully.

Mark smiled at her. "In 10 minutes, now please be patient, ok?"

Alicia sighed disappointed and turned to climb up in her father's lap. Mark helped her up and set her leaning her back against his chest, wounding his arms around her. "You started to like it here?" Mark asked her.

"Uh huh." Alicia nodded.

"Would you like to go back to grandma?" He asked her.

Alicia turned to look at him, a cute smile spreading across her lips. "I miss grandma so much." Her words touched the tone of her voice, almost as if she was crying as she mentioned her grandmother.

"I know you do." Mark caressed gently her cheek with the back of his hand. "So would you like to go back to her?" He asked her again.

Alicia nodded in response and became slightly worried. "But I don't know if Meri will want to come with us. Do you think she will want to?" She asked him as if their returning to Manhattan was something that would surely happen.

Mark smiled already anticipating her thoughts. "I don't know." He answered and Alicia's face immediately darkened with worry. "But we are not going back to Manhattan, so don't worry."

Alicia stared at him cautiously and slowly brought back the light on her face. "And grandma will come here soon."

"She will." Mark assured her. His main purpose when he first asked Alicia about a possible returning home was to check how attached she was to Meredith. Now he was sure. "Why do you like Meredith so much?" He asked her. Alicia stared at him confused not understanding his question. Mark chuckled and kissed her on cheek. "You haven't known her for that long and she is not even that pretty."

"She is pretty!" Alicia snapped at him as if she was the offended one. "She is very nice daddy. I like her a lot, that's why I like her." She didn't know exactly how to say it, maybe because she hadn't had enough time to know her that well, but anyone could see how honest her answer was.

Mark laughed at her weird, innocent answer and gave her another kiss. "She is pretty." He finally agreed with her.

"Dr. Sloan?" A strong male voice asked him with curiosity.

Mark looked back to see the Chief of Surgery, Dr. Weber, standing behind him. "Chief" He stood up scooping Alicia in his arms.

"What are you doing here?" Same as Meredith, the Chief asked him that thinking at first that something was wrong with him or his daughter.

Mark laughed in his mind as he heard again that question and shook his head as answer. "We are expecting someone." He answered simply.

The chief continued to stare at him suspiciously. "I thought I saw you up in the gallery… with her." He said pointing in the end towards Alicia.

Being noticed, Alicia smiled and waved cheerfully. "Hi"

"Hi." The Chief answered pleasantly surprised of her charm. "You must be the little Ms. Sloan."

"I'm Ally." She held out a hand nodding from her head.

"Hi Ally." The Chief shook her hand slowly and then looked back to Mark. "Are you looking for any of the persons who assisted to my surgery?" He asked him. "Maybe I could help you track it down.

"We tracked her down already." Mark replied without thinking and a discreet smile showed up on the chief's face.

"We are waiting for Meri." Alicia added, now with the same exasperation in her voice.

"Meri?" The chief asked confused, again gazing at Mark. "As in Meredith Grey?"

"Yes." Alicia confirmed right away. "We are waiting for her here."

"Then I am sure she will come." The chief replied, not breaking his gaze on Mark. "Have fun!" He wished them after he had glanced at their fancy clothes.

"We will." Mark grumbled, smiling and trying to look politely in front of his chief.

Once that the chief was gone, Mark collapsed in his chair with Alicia on his lap. "Are you tired?" She asked him sympathetically, not understanding the embarrassment her father had lived only a few minutes ago.

"We should have waiting for Meredith in the car." He grumbled to himself.

Alicia still couldn't understand the reason for his grumpiness, but chose to give up. Her meeting with Meri was much more important at that moment. "Look, daddy!" She suddenly burst. "That lady has a kitten!" She squealed pointing to an old woman, not far from their seat, waiting probably for someone, with a white kitten on her lap.

Mark frowned as he looked at that woman. The pet topic was a sensitive one for him and his daughter. "Pets aren't allowed in hospital." He grumbled.

"Can I go see it?" Alicia didn't seem to have noticed her father's discontent look and jumped off her lap.

Though he didn't like the idea, he thought it would be better to keep Alicia busy while Meredith will come down meet them. "Sure."

In an instant, Alicia was running towards that lady and after a short exchange of words and smiles, she took a seat next to her.

Mark watched her for the next minutes, impatiently checking his watch every 10 seconds and praying that no other doctor would see him there and ask him the indiscreet question 'Who are you waiting for?'

Tapping rhythmically his watch with his finger, Mark started showing his impatience even more than his daughter had done it earlier. Without letting Alicia out of his sight, which was still playing with that woman's kitten, Mark also started glancing around.

Mark jumped on his feet when he finally saw Meredith heading towards him. "Finally." He muttered under his breath. Only after he calmed down, he remembered to check the dress she was wearing. It was simple black dress but her sheepishly smile was charming and Mark found himself mesmerized by her look.

"Should I call someone?" Meredith giggled as she waved her hand in front of Mark.

Mark shook his head as he snapped back to reality and chuckled. He made a step backward and gave her a closer look. He started laughing as his eyes caught the sneakers she was wearing.

"We should stop by my house." Meredith rolled her eyes at his amusement.

"No!" Mark shook his head laughing. "You should wear these." He suggested with a crooked smile on his face. "I dare you." He smirked when he saw Meredith's frown.

"Sure." Meredith grumbled sarcastically. "Tell me where to come and I'll be there… if I'm still invited." She glared at him.

"You are still invited, but only if you wear the sneakers." Mark teased.

"So I am not invited." Meredith said.

Mark rolled his eyes at her stubbornness. "What's a big deal if you wear the dress with these sneakers? Do you care that much of what the others think about you?"

Meredith didn't reply right away and stared at him with a thoughtful expression. "Ok." She agreed. "I take the dare…"

"But?" Mark asked her, suspecting that she would have agreed with his dare so easily.

"But you are changing your shirt with your scrub top and put over it the jacket from your tux." Meredith dared him back, with a proud smirk on her face.

"No way!" Mark protested. "My image is too precious."

Meredith giggled. "And having me for dinner wearing a dress with sneakers wouldn't harm your image?"

"No." Mark smiled proudly. "It will only harm yours."

"Now I understand." Meredith smiled as she became aware of something. Mark looked at her curiously. "You don't want other man to hit on me while I am at dinner with you."

Mark started laughing and shaking his head. "Like I would care."

Meredith glared at him and then, sighing, she looked around them and saw that Alicia wasn't there. "Where's Ally?" She asked Mark.

Mark made a step aside so that Meredith could see Alicia and the kitten. Then he leaned to her ear laughing. "You would have wanted to have me for you only tonight, wouldn't you?"

Meredith pushed him away glaring. "In your dreams only."

"Al!" Mark called after Alicia without breaking the gaze he was holding on Meredith. "Meredith is here!" He announced.

In a second, Alicia was coming running to Meredith. "Meri!" She stopped as she landed in Meredith's arms. "Let's go now because I am hungry." She urged the grown-ups as she took their hands. "That is such a pretty kitten, daddy. Can I have one?"

Mark rolled his eyes, not surprised by her question. "Aren't you a kitten too?" He asked her teasing her.

"No." Alicia giggled. "I'm Alicia."

Meredith and Mark smiled at her answer.

"You go ahead and I'll follow you." Arriving in the parking lot, Meredith let go of Alicia's hand and turned to head towards her car.

"I'll give you a ride back home." Mark told her.

"He will." Alicia assured her with a pleading tone. "Come with us!" She called her back holding out her hand.

"Each time I leave without my car I end up sleeping over your house." Meredith muttered.

Mark chuckled and opened the doors for Meredith and Alicia. "Which seat do you want?" He asked Meredith as he held open the door from passenger seat.

Meredith didn't answer but walked over to him and slid inside through the door he was holding open for her.

"Why doesn't she want to sit with me anymore?" Alicia asked her daddy whispering when he came to help her inside.

"Because she is a grown-up and there is where the grown-ups sit." Mark explained simply and picked her up. He put her on her seat and fastened the seatbelts around her. The he walked over to his seat, shut the door, fastened his seatbelt and looked at Meredith before starting the engine. "Are you taking the dare or not?" He asked her.

"My image is too precious." Meredith grinned as she quoted him with sarcasm. "But I may take the dare if you are in too." She challenged him back.

Mark stared at her and then looked to the backseats from where Alicia was staring at them confused.

"Take your time. We have time." Meredith added smiling.


	16. Dinner, conversation and a kitten

_**N/A: This chapter took me a lot to finish it because it's the longest so far. I wrote daily for it for the last one week and a half. The biggest part takes place at the restaurant, so I couldn't split it in two parts. As the title says, they have dinner, they talk and ... Alicia gets a kitten. **_

_**I really hope you would like to share your impressions about it and believe me, there are a few things you might find interesting, so... Reviews are welcomed!**_

_**Thank you, Murgy31 for helping me again!**_

_**Also, thank you to all who left comments so far. It means... you have no idea how much :) **_

_Dana_

--

**Chapter 16 – Dinner, conversation and a kitten**

Mark refused to take Meredith's dare about crazy outfits for their dinner to the restaurant, so they stopped by Meredith's house first and she could change her shoes.

Alicia's cheerful chatter about her kindergarten and the kitten she had played with earlier that evening made the twenty minute ride from Meredith's house to the restaurant fly by.

"Do you know what Mrs. Kendrick told us today?" She asked them, excited to give them the news. She was so excited that she didn't even wait and see if either of them were interested to find out about it and started narrating it. "Mrs. Kendrick said we are going to have a Halloween party and we can choose whatever costume we want to."

"A Halloween party at your kindergarten?" Mark asked with satisfaction. That meant he would cancel the annual Halloween party he had promised to his daughter, a great relief for him on a first thought. A house full of crazy kids was never a sweet dream for him. "I like the idea." He muttered.

"Yeah, but she said we have to ask the permission from our mommy and daddy." Alicia explained, surprising Meredith and Mark with the easiness she mentioned the words mommy and daddy in the same sentence with. "Can I go?" She asked them. Mark looked into the rear view mirror and saw her waiting an answer from both of them. He sighed and shook his head discreetly.

Mark wasn't that surprised to find out that Alicia was including Meredith in her plans for the future, but Meredith had been caught off guard completely. She stared at Mark questioningly, but all Mark could do at that time was to shrug. He hadn't figured out yet how to resolve Alicia's wish to have Meredith as mother figure in her life and for the moment he decided to go along with the present situation. He would figure something in the meantime.

"Can I?" She asked them again still waiting for an answer.

"Sure you can go." Mark looked at Alicia through the rear-view mirror answering and then glanced again at Meredith checking for her reaction.

Meredith was still slightly confused with the way that Alicia had formed the question, but she smiled at him and decided to ignore the weird situation.

"Mrs. Kendrick said we all need costumes." Alicia added. "What costume do you want to choose, Meri?" She asked her.

Meredith looked confused at Mark, but he just continued to drive, looking as if he was paying more attention to the road than to their talk now. He hadn't commented much upon Alicia's news either, not even when Alicia seemed to ask both of them for permission. This made Meredith hesitate. As she had gotten to know him so far, Mark would have said a straight no before Alicia could have finished her sentence.

"I… um" Meredith stammered, staring at Mark, still waiting for a reaction from him. "I'm not sure if I am invited." Mark didn't show any change so Meredith looked back at Alicia. "Your teacher invited your parents only." As she said that, Meredith wished she didn't.

There was no shade of smile or excitement in Alicia's features anymore. Instead, she looked away, out her window.

The silence that followed Meredith's last statement seemed painful and hard to stand. Mark glanced discreetly at his right and Meredith was staring out her window, nervously biting her lip. He then looked to the backseats through the rear view mirror and saw a small tear sliding down on Alicia's cheek.

"I'll talk to Mrs. Kendrick and see if it's ok for you to come." Mark muttered as he drove staring out the windshield.

Meredith turned to look at him. "Are you sure?" Mark answered with a simple nod.

"We'll talk about the costume some other time, ok?" Mark suggested and looked into the rear-view to check Alicia's reaction. Though her eyes were still sad, Alicia had regained her smile.

"But why can't we talk about the costumes now?" Alicia asked him. Now that she had Meredith back in her plans, she was willing to talk and make more plans about her party. Mark couldn't come up with an excuse right away and this irritated Alicia a little. "Why?" She asked him again.

"Because I say so!" Mark snapped at her, making Alicia and Meredith start. He knew that having Meredith at the kindergarten while everyone there knew her as Alicia's mother wouldn't help Alicia with her little lie. Now he had wished he wouldn't have agreed with her little charade.

"That wasn't necessary." Meredith snapped back at him for his harsh tone. "We have to think of some ideas, first." Meredith shifted in her seat to look back at Alicia, smiling apologetically. "Now let's change the subject, ok?"

"Ok" Alicia sighed disappointed. "Can I have a kitten then?" She asked, now looking at her father.

"Great change." Mark laughed with sarcasm.

Meredith laughed. "I think your father is a little tired right now, so let's give him a break and not stress him, ok?" Meredith looked to the backseat at Alicia.

"Ok. I am sorry, daddy." Alicia apologized very sweetly, making Meredith stare at her very touched. "He never wants to talk about my kitten." Alicia also grumbled silently, now very discontent.

"She is amazing." Meredith laughed finding very amusing Alicia's sudden mood swing.

"Try and leave with this for almost four years." Mark rolled his eyes smiling. "She can be very tricky, but luckily she never caught me." He smirked at Meredith.

"Sure." It was Meredith's turn to laugh at him with sarcasm. "I bet you didn't have all this gray hair four years ago." She pointed out with mockery.

"I do not have gray hair." Mark protested.

"Ok" Meredith smiled, hardly fighting back another laugh. She folded her arms across her chest and looked back out her window. "We're going to talk about … _that_, right?" She asked him, not taking eyes from the window, referring at Alicia's invitation to her Halloween party.

"Yes" Mark answered.

"I thought so" Meredith smiled, not surprised that his invitation hadn't been real.

The silence fell over them again, but this time it was calmer. Mark checked Alicia through the rear-view mirror, who was singing in a very low voice a song, dancing with her fingers on her knees. Then he looked at Meredith, who was still staring out her window. "Thank you." Meredith turned her head to look at him and nodded.

--

Alicia insisted to hold both of their hands when they walked inside the restaurant. "Hello, Taylor" She greeted the young man cheerfully, his job was to greet and lead the clients inside.

"Oh who do we have here tonight?" Taylor came from behind the desk to greet Alicia properly. "Ms. Ally." He made a small bow. Alicia giggled with thrill in response. "Good evening, Mr. Sloan." Taylor was now professional again as he greeted Mark. Then he caught an eye on Meredith. He checked her out and smiled. "Good evening, miss!"

"Her name is Meredith." Alicia offered very helpful to introduce her to him.

"Oh." Taylor chuckled. "Good evening, Ms. Meredith."

"Good evening, Taylor." Meredith flattered by Taylor's attention and saluted him back with a big smile.

Mark cleared his throat not very happy with the exchange of looks and smiles between Taylor and his girls and pulled Alicia from Meredith and brought Meredith close to him. "Daddy!" Alicia whined as her father's brutal gesture almost made her fall. Mark helped her stay on her feet and then looked back at Taylor. "She's Ms.. Grey or Dr. Grey to you. Now can we go to our table?" He asked him, not before he wrapped his arm around Meredith's waist.

"Sure." Taylor flinched at Mark's intimidating glare and made a gesture to follow him.

Mark held Alicia's hand at his left, while Meredith was well held at his right. He could feel Meredith's eyes on him, but he ignored it and walked them to their table. As they reached the table, Mark let his hand fell off Meredith's waist and helped Alicia sit down, while Taylor held out the chair for Meredith, this time without daring to flirt or even look at her.

"Your waiter will be here in a moment." He left them two menus and walked away.

Mark sat down and unfolded a napkin for Alicia, still ignoring Meredith's stare. "Ok, you can say whatever you want to say now." He said to Meredith while he unfolded his napkin and put it on his lap.

"I have nothing to say." Meredith smiled.

Mark looked at her and raised an eyebrow, suspicious. He knew she would have something to say about his gesture.

"I have something to ask you instead." Meredith smiled. Mark nodded waiting for her to continue. "What was that all about?"

"The answer is simple." Mark retorted. "You were flirting with that guy while my daughter and I were standing right there and starving."

"Sure." Meredith nodded smiling. "You weren't jealous."

Mark glared at her, trying to find something to make her shut up, but then Alicia interfered.

"What's that fliting?" She asked them.

"Flirting. The word is flirting." Mark corrected her. "And it means something nasty. It's something that you shouldn't do in a public place with a stranger."

Alicia was lost. She stared at him, dumbfounded listening to his explanation. It took her a longer moment to process everything before she could come up with a reply. "But daddy…" She laughed with sympathy at him. "Meri didn't do anything nasty with Taylor. She just talked to him."

"See how smart she is?" Meredith laughed, happy to see Mark defeated by Alicia's innocence. "And you were saying to have her under control." She giggled making fun of him. "I guess it's obvious know who has the control of who."

"Fine! Whatever." Mark opened his menu, trying to sound not bothered by Meredith's tease.

"Oh and I'm not married so I am ok with being called miss." Meredith sniffed.

With his face hid in his menu, Mark chuckled quietly, already enjoying Meredith's presence.

Alicia let out a loud sigh, letting them know of how bored she was in that moment. Mark put his menu down and looked at his daughter. "What do you want to eat, Ally?"

"I don't know." She shrugged with the same bored attitude as her sigh. "Can we talk?" She asked them, almost pleading.

"Sure we can." Mark laughed. "What do you want to talk about?" He asked her, but before Alicia could say anything, he added. "No kitten and no party talk." He warned her.

Alicia sighed with disappointment and started playing with her napkin. "Meri, did you ever have a kitten?" She asked Meredith.

"No." Meredith answered.

Alicia didn't seem really interested to know if Meredith had had a kitten before, so she didn't pay any interest in her answer. The main purpose was to bring the kitten subject in their talk again.

"What did I tell you?" Mark warned her again.

"Did you ever try to talk to her about this?" Meredith interfered, somehow reproaching him the way he was avoiding the subject. "A serious talk with reasonable explanation, not a "Mark" talk?" She moved her fingers to make air quoted, while she smirked at him.

Mark looked at her with a glare, but didn't say anything back.

"Yeah daddy, let's talk about my kitten." Having Meredith on her side, Alicia found the courage to protest.

"You don't have a kitten." Mark pointed out chuckling. "So we can't talk about what you don't have."

"But I want a kitten." Alicia cried out. "I want a white puffy kitten. Why can't I have a kitten?" She asked him.

"Now, this is the right moment to explain her why she can't have a kitten." Meredith told him.

Mark looked at her and smiled with sarcasm. "I like you better when you keep your mouth shut."

"Luckily, I don't want you to like me better." Meredith laughed.

Mark rolled his eyes and turned to look at his daughter. "Ok. I'll explain." He stated. "I don't want a kitten because…." He paused for a moment. "Because it meows."

His answer was immediately followed by Meredith's burst of laughter. While Mark glared at her, Alicia found a solution. "I won't let it meow, daddy. Now can I have a kitten?"

That caused Meredith to laugh harder. Mark closed his eyes groaning in exasperation. "It walks." He looked back at Alicia as he gave her another argument.

"The kitten?" Alicia asked him, slightly confused.

"Of course the kitten. Aren't we talking about the kitten?" Mark asked her.

"Oh" Alicia became thoughtful as she started processing what her father told her. "I…" She started saying something, but Mark cut her off again.

"Don't tell me you're going to tie its legs or cut them off, because you still can't have a kitten."

"You're seriously not capable to give her an explanation?" Meredith continued laughing at him. "You could have at least told her you are allergic to cats."

"I'm allergic to cats so you can't have a cat." Mark told Alicia what Meredith had said.

"Don't believe him." Meredith laughed. "He's lying."

"Can you please stop laughing?" Mark snapped at her. "People are staring at us."

"Sorry." Meredith chocked as she tried to stop laughing. "She can't have a kitten because it meows." Meredith couldn't control herself and burst out laughing again.

"Ally, cover your ears." Mark told Alicia with a calm tone.

Alicia did as her father told and put both hands over her ears. Mark turned swiftly to Meredith, smiling crookedly. "So how's your sex life, Meredith?"

Her laugh froze instantly, as well as her smile. She took a sip from her glass of water, looking anywhere else but Mark. "That's inappropriate to ask." She grumbled, no longer amused.

"You can let your hands down, Al." Mark told Alicia without taking his eyes away from Meredith. He was the one smiling with satisfaction now. "So it sucks." He concluded with satisfaction.

"I didn't say that." Meredith glared at him.

"Daddy?" Alicia patted his hand gently to get his attention.

"Yes, Ally." Mark looked at her.

"Is it sex or six?" She asked him, confused.

Meredith pressed her lips together and put the back of her hand over her mouth to muffle a laugh.

"It's sex…six, sweetie." Mark answered. Alicia continued to stare at him puzzled. "Six. I said six, Ally."

But Alicia wasn't entirely satisfied. Something wasn't fitting. "You asked Meri how is her six life?" She asked him. "Oh daddy, I don't understand you at all." She sighed and shook her head, disappointed.

"You're still too little to understand." Mark was happy with Alicia's confusion and caressed the top of her head. "Now about your kitten…" Mark was now ready for a serious talk about that. A huge smile spread across her face lighting it up. "You can't have one." As her father said that, her smile faded instantly. "You have to take care of that cat, feed it, clean after it. It's not an easy job to have a pet, Al. Besides, we are home only in the evening and then your kitten would have to stay alone in the apartment. Can you imagine what mess it could do while we're not there?" Mark explained.

"I can take care of my kitten." Alicia looked with pleading eyes at her father.

"A little responsibility would be something could for her." Meredith admitted, taking Alicia's side.

"How about the many hours that the cat would spend alone in the apartment?" Mark asked her.

"You could…" Meredith had another argument, but Mark wasn't willing to listen to her.

"You, stay out of this." He cut her off and then he turned towards his daughter. "When you'll get older you might get a kitten until then please drop this subject." The tone of his voice wasn't harsh or too fatherly, Mark trying to explain it to her in a rather friendly manner. Because of that, Alicia complied resignedly, without her regular whimpers or pleadings. "See?" Mark looked back at Meredith with a smug grin on his face. "I have her under control."

Meredith rolled her eyes smiling. "You were just ridiculously lucky to shut her mouth."

"Change of subject now." Mark announced and looked at his daughter as he said that. "We're going to talk about that party later or maybe tomorrow, ok?" Alicia nodded a yes. "Alright then. The kitten subject is done."

That was the moment when a waiter came to their table ready to take their orders. Mark allowed Meredith to order first. Meredith chose for spaghetti with wild mushrooms and a glass of wine, while Mark chose for him and Ally marinated feta cheese salad.

"No." Ally cried out as she heard her father's menu for their dinner. "I don't want that yucky thing again." She complained, making a grimace of disgust. "It smells so bad. Please daddy, can't I have some sandwiches with…"

"They don't have your sandwiches here." Mark didn't let her finish. "Ok then, how about…" He looked over the menu again. "Beef with soy sauce and ginger for you and chocolate mousse with sesame snaps?" He suggested.

Alicia didn't know how great the beef was, but she knew she would love some chocolate mousse, so she agreed nodding with excitement. The waiter took their order and left to bring them the food.

"We never had the chance to talk about your last name, Meredith." Mark said, ready to start a serious conversation, rather than his daughter's childish aberrations.

Meredith frowned, unpleased with the subject. "I don't see why would talk about my last name." She grumbled.

Mark didn't seem to get Meredith's displeasure of talking about her last name, which would, of course, bring Ellis Grey into the conversation, and continued. "Because you are the daughter of Ellis Grey and that's _something_." He emphasized the word to show what an important that something was to him. "She's a living legend."

"Was." Meredith corrected him.

Mark paused for a moment, just then realizing what he had said. "I'm sorry." He apologized sincerely. "But yet she's a legend."

"So you want to know how is to live under my mother's shadow." Meredith concluded. Mark remained quiet, noticing the disappointment from her eyes. "Well… you're going to be disappointed." Meredith continued, now looking at Alicia. They smiled at each other and Meredith took one of her hands, gently playing with her fingers. "It sucks and I work very hard not to be known as her daughter." Meredith looked up at him, staring straight into his eyes. "Too bad I have no interest in Plastics, otherwise you would've had the chance to meet the doctor in me. My gall in the professional plan is to become a great surgeon, not necessarily a legend too. I'm different than my mother was. She lived for medicine, while I want something more beside medicine." Mark continued to listen to her in silence. "I want a family too. I want to have a little girl, to name her… Meredith and I want her to have a family." Each of her words expressed the outrage and pain from her voice. "Or maybe I'll name her Ellis, so that Ellis can see what a family means." Meredith sighed as she poured everything out and relaxed as she looked and smiled at Alicia. "So I don't like to be compared with Ellis Grey. I'm Meredith Grey, not Ellis Grey. The only thing we have in common is our last name." Meredith said as looked back at Mark. "And maybe some of the surgical skills." She admitted.

Alicia's tiny hand caressed gently Meredith's hand, while Alicia glared at her father. "She's sad because of you." She said accusingly.

Meredith chuckled and leaned to kiss Alicia's forehead. "I'm sorry, Meredith." Meredith looked at Mark with a faint smile and nodded. "Too bad you're not interested in Plastics." Mark chuckled. "Have you heard of Derek Shepherd?" He asked her.

"The neurosurgeon?" Meredith asked him, dazzled.

Mark chuckled and nodded. "He's my best friend." He gave her a smug smile.

"Mine too." Alicia interfered.

Meredith laughed, finding the opportunity to tease him a little too regarding his medical skills. "You seem very proud to be Derek's Shepherd best friend."

Mark's smile froze and he narrowed his eyes. "I bet he's very proud to be my best friend too." Meredith smirked proudly.

Mark would've wanted to say something more, but Alicia couldn't stand to be left out of their talk, so she patted Meredith's hand to get her attention.

"What is it, Ally?" Meredith asked her.

"Can I ask you something?" Alicia asked her back. Meredith nodded. "It's something very personal." Alicia told her with a very serious attitude.

"Really?" Meredith couldn't help but giggle at her cute face. Alicia nodded, very serious. "Ok then, ask me."

Alicia narrowed her eyes, keeping the same sobriety on her features. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Meredith remained speechless, staring at her in shock. Then she jerked her head to Mark, who was watching them slightly amused. Reading the accusation from Meredith's glare, Mark shook his head, refusing to be held responsible for Alicia's question. "I swear I've nothing to do that."

Meredith stared at him suspiciously for a longer moment and then she turned to smile at Alicia. "Why are you asking me that?"

Alicia shrugged a little disappointed. "Everyone has a boyfriend."

"Aren't you too little to worry about boys?" Meredith laughed.

"But Cassie, Terry and Anna have boyfriends." Alicia explained. "And Terry says Bobby is her boyfriend, but I don't believe her."

Meredith amused but surprised to hear Alicia talking so seriously about boyfriends. "Ally, but do you know when a boy is your boyfriend?"

Alicia nodded immediately, very sure of herself. "When you hold hands with him and he kisses you on cheek. If he kisses you on lips, then he's your husband."

Meredith pressed her lips together, hardly fighting back a laugher. "Who told you this?" She asked her.

Alicia just looked at her father as response. "Cute." Meredith looked at Mark and started laughing.

The waiter brought their food and served it to them, Alicia still making a slight disgust as he put the plate in front of her. They started eating from their food, Alicia already forgetting about the boyfriend topic. Her daddy, on the other hand, didn't forget. "You didn't answer." He said looking at Meredith. Meredith looked at him, confused. "You didn't answer to her question." Mark helped her, tilting his head towards Alicia.

Meredith glanced at Alicia, who was eating while staring at them without any interest to find an answer for her question anymore.

"Are you holding hands with anyone or are you married?" Mark asked her, with a hidden smile on his face.

Meredith choked with her food as she heard him and took a sip from her wine. She cleared her throat, visibly uncomfortable with his indiscretion and remained silent, hoping that Mark would drop the subject as Alicia had done it. Unfortunately, Mark continued to stare at her questioning. "I don't have a boyfriend." She grumbled. "Satisfied?" She glared at him.

Mark smiled teasingly. "Partially… because I'm not interested."

"I have more chances to hold hands with someone one day than you have." Meredith replied sharply.

That stung him a little, so Mark sniffed and returned to his food, ready to make the previous topic forgotten. After a few minutes, while everyone ate in silence, Mark put down his fork and looked at Meredith. At first, Meredith wanted to ignore him, but as she felt his intense gaze on her, she decided to confront it. "What is it now?"

Mark hesitated and then shook his head. "It's nothing." He mumbled as he picked up his fork.

"Don't you like your cheese, daddy?" Alicia asked him as she stared at his plate.

"Do you want some?" Mark asked her, pushing the plate towards her as he thought that she might have changed her mind regarding his marinated cheese salad. But Alicia was more observant than he was, so she noticed he hadn't touched his food so much.

Alicia shook her head with the same grimace of disgust on her feature as earlier when her father had ordered for both of them that cheese salad. "You didn't eat much." She pointed out.

Mark realized then how preoccupied he was of what he wanted to know from Meredith. Though they exchanged lot of glares and sharp words, Mark still had to admit that Meredith was a charming companion and not just because of the dress she was wearing or because of the way her hair was covering smoothly her bare shoulders; her personality was charming too. Mark smiled faintly at his daughter and then glanced at Meredith. "Let's eat." He suggested calmly.

They returned to their food and another minutes passed by in silence. Mark still couldn't eat much and he finally decided to say what he had to say. He put his fork down again and looked at Meredith. "I want to ask you something." He told her.

More curious than surprised, Meredith put her fork down and complied nodding. Mark hesitated for a second before he sighed. "What do you think about me?" He asked her gazing intensively in her eyes.

Now Meredith was slightly confused. "Does it matter?" She asked him cautiously.

"No" Mark's answer was straight and convincing. "But I still want to know what you think about me."

"Are you sure you want to know?" Meredith was even more cautious now. Though she had told him some of the things she thought about him, there were still some things left unsaid and she was dying to pour them out.

"Otherwise I wouldn't have asked you to tell me." Mark retorted, keeping calm the tone of his voice, kind of uninterested too. He noticed the suspiciousness from Meredith's face and smiled. "We're in a public place so you won't get hurt." Meredith smiled too. "In the parking lot neither." He added.

Meredith chuckled. She bit her lip, becoming more serious. "Ok then." Meredith sighed and looking into his eyes and she said it all. "I think you're a fool." Mark raised an eyebrow, expecting to hear more than that. Meredith started rubbing her hands nervously. "I'm not talking about your professional side." She mumbled. "You're a brilliant surgeon, though you aren't such a brilliant person." As she started talking, her words became more animated and suddenly there was no nervousness or suspiciousness left. "But you're a very immature person and you could be a better father for your daughter if you'll try to be more mature and be more open-minded. Considering the fact that you're raising your daughter alone… or together with your mother, whatever… my point is …" Meredith rambled. "Though you're a single parent you're handling the things pretty well, but you could do it so much better, because honestly now… 'you can't have a cat because it meows' isn't very smart." Meredith stopped and checked Mark's reaction.

Mark was staring expressionless at her. "Explain that." He said with calm, though his voice was hiding something, something that Meredith couldn't tell if it was anger or amusement.

Meredith was determined to be honest. "You're hiding behind your daughter's innocence. You don't like… or want to confront the reality. You think she's satisfied with any aberration you give her as explanation, but you saw very well that she's not satisfied all the time. She grows up and she wants to find out more each day. She's an intelligent girl and she could accept the reality with more courage than you. I don't understand exactly how you're trying to protect her, but she has rights and you're denying her those rights." It was clear to him now that she was talking about Natasha. His face turned into a mask of indifference. He wanted nothing more than to refute her accusations, but he continued to listen to her in silence. "You're a fool for allowing that woman to keep hurting you and now she's hurting your daughter too. I don't understand why you are so frustrated about that. She left, so what? Do you miss her?" She asked him. His answer was in his glare. "Would you have preferred to take Ally with her? Do you think your life would've been better today?" Mark flinched. "Then let it go." Meredith continued, not intimidated by Mark's deadly glare. Though she had hit him in a sensitive spot, Mark remained silent and continued to listen to her. "Give your daughter her rights and get over it. Life sucks; I know it better than you do. Life's not always fair, but we have to keep on moving anyway. Grow up and face the music." Everything that Meredith told him about Natasha left a print on her own too, as she felt Alicia's abandonment very similar to hers and now a tear was sliding down on her cheek.

In all this time, Alicia stared at them confused. She saw Meredith upset and her father being angry. Usually, in this situation, she would have shamed her father, but this time, she hadn't heard him yelling or saying anything bad to Meredith. She couldn't understand at all what they were talking about.

Mark tried to stay impassive, though his face was still uptight, while Meredith wiped her tear and smiled at Alicia. "Finish your dinner, Ally." She told her. Alicia complied just nodding.

For the rest of the dinner, Mark didn't say anything. He didn't even look up from his plate. Because she didn't want Alicia to be worried, Meredith talked to her, mostly about boyfriends and she explained to her what 'boyfriend' means. From time to time, Meredith glanced at Mark discreetly, but there was no change in his mood each time she did it. The end of the dinner was surprisingly relaxed for Meredith and Alicia, especially because Alicia gladly agreed to share her dessert with Meredith.

Mark paid for their dinner and then led them to his car. Because of his actual mood, Meredith knew she should stay out of Mark's way, so when they got to Mark's car, Meredith wished to get inside in the backseats, but before she could do that, Mark opened the door to the passenger seat. Meredith stared at him confused as he strapped Alicia in her seat and only after a long hesitation she slid inside. Mark followed her soon, getting on the driver seat and fastening his seatbelt.

"I think I am sleepy now." With her tummy full, Alicia concluded.

Meredith looked at her and laughed. "You'll be in your bed soon." Alicia yawned and nodded. Meredith turned and gazed out her window, thoughtful. She hated herself for ruining the dinner, but she was in the same time very proud of herself for everything she had told to Mark.

"Is the car broken?" Alicia's question brought her out of her thoughts and Meredith noticed that they hadn't left the parking lot and the ignition hadn't been revived yet. Mark was having his hands clutched on the steering wheel and he was staring out the windshield with the same uptight face as before.

Just when Meredith was ready to ask him what was going on, Mark turned and looked at her. "Do you want to sleep over?" He asked her.

Meredith was caught off guard by his unexpected invitation and she stared bewildered at him.

"I told you it doesn't matter what you think about me." He said, easily guessing the reason for her shock. "So?" He asked her again, waiting.

"Yes." Meredith nodded slowly.

The ignition purred silently in the next second and Mark finally left the parking lot.

--

That night, Alicia was the happiest girl in the world. She convinced Meredith to help her with her bath and wash her hair, playing with the water and making sure that Meredith would end up soaking wet.

While the girls had their fun in the bathroom Mark paced along the living room, restless. He had always been a player when women were involved and now Meredith was a daring partner. She wasn't just another woman to satisfy his needs, because neither of those women he had been slept with before came so close to him and his daughter and slept over his house at least once. Mark stopped pacing and headed to his bedroom looking for a certain thing. He turned on the light and scanned the surroundings. His brownish shirt had been disposed on one of the chair after Meredith's last sleep over. Mark took it and walked out the bedroom, this time heading towards the bathroom.

Mark leaned against the wall, beside the bathroom door, listening to their laughs. The water had been turned off and he could hear Meredith struggling to get Alicia into her pajamas. Mark waited for them there to come out, holding Meredith's shirt.

As the door opened, Mark came to greet them in the doorway.

"Hi." Alicia greeted him laughing from Meredith's arm. Meredith had managed to get her into her pajamas and wrapped a towel around her head to dry her hair. Mark held out his arms to take Alicia and scooped her up as her giggles filled the apartment.

"Your shirt." Mark told her simply as he handed her the shirt. After Meredith's lecture, the words between them had been poor, not enough to be considered talks.

"My shirt?" Meredith looked curiously.

Mark turned to take his daughter to her room. "I'll see you later." He told Meredith, having his back turned on her.

Meredith watched him until he entered in Alicia's room and was out of her sight. "My shirt." She grumbled, confused. She stared for another moment at the empty hall, trying to process what exactly was going on with him. At that point, she started questioning herself if Mark's mental health was in a good state.

As he carried her to her room, Mark let Alicia down in her bed. Alicia came up on her feet and shook her head to make the towel fall, while Mark went to take her hair brush. Alicia ran to her pillows and took Lolo, hugging him tightly as she went to meet her father at the edge of the bed. Mark sat down and Alicia sat on his legs so that he could brush her hair. "I'm so sleepy, daddy." Alicia's confession was followed by a long yawn and her father's chuckle.

"I'll try to be fast with this." Mark promised as he put the hair brush into her hair and brushed smoothly a strand from roots to tips. Mark watched pleased how smooth and easy to brush her long hair was.

"Meredith doesn't have any lipstick." Alicia stated. She didn't sound disappointed or outraged by that fact; it was a simple chatter as she was still wishing to mention Meredith more.

"How do you know?" Mark asked her, uninterested. Alicia turned her head to look at him and grinned crookedly. Mark narrowed his eyes as he watched her carefully and then shook his head, disapproving very fatherly her gesture. "You looked through her things." Alicia smiled guiltily. Mark turned her head so that he could finish brushing her hair and just then he chuckled quietly. "What did you see that was interesting?"

Alicia was too innocent to realize how her father was trying to pump her for personal information about Meredith, so she went along with him. "She has a very cute but dirty rabbit," Alicia started her chatter. "I named it Bambi," she stated, sounding very proud of her. "and she had cute clothes when she was little just like me."

"Al!" Mark was completely unpleased and uninterested of what she was saying. "Anything else? More interesting?"

Alicia remained quiet for a moment and then answered, "No."

"Didn't she show you her pajamas?" Mark asked.

"No," Alicia answered. "She doesn't wear pajamas."

The brush stopped in her hair for a moment while Mark seemed to be staring somewhere far into another dimension… another bedroom. "She doesn't?" He said to himself.

"She doesn't." Alicia confirmed shaking her head.

"She sleeps naked?" Mark asked her, his eyes were almost full of excitement.

"No." Alicia laughed. "She wears a big t-shirt." She added, still laughing at her father's silly thought. "You can't sleep naked," Alicia informed him with a very mature tone. "You can get cold if you do it."

Mark laughed too. Then he realized he was taking the conversation to a path where his daughter's early age wasn't allowed. Mark finished in record time the brushing of her hair, so she was now ready for bed. He put her down and went to pull down the covers so that she could get in. "Not now." Alicia whined, hiding her hands to back and started walking backwards as she saw her father coming after her.

"It's late. You're sleepy." Mark walked carefully towards her, like not wishing to scare her and make her start running.

"I'm waiting for Meri." Alicia pouted.

"You can wait for her in bed." Alicia shook her head, making another step backwards.

It was enough a larger step for Mark to reach her and scoop her up on his arms, kissing her on her tummy and making her laugh and forget her protest for a moment. He sat down at the edge of the bed and cradled Alicia in his arms like she was a baby. Content with her new position, Alicia found the best opportunity to have a moment of tenderness with her daddy. With Lolo held to her chest, Alicia giggled as she looked at her father and started sucking her thumb.

"Don't do that!" Mark tried to take her hand off her mouth, but Alicia protested between giggles. "You're a big girl now, Al. It's bad to suck your finger."

Alicia continued to grin at him and shook her head stubbornly. Though he didn't approve her childish behavior, Mark still couldn't resist to her charm and leaned in to kiss her, rocking her back and forth. Alicia was slowly drifting to sleep with her father's slow rocking. Her eyelids felt heavy and her yawns were longer and more frequent now. "Sleep well, angel." Mark whispered to her ear. Though his voice had been soft and the rocking smoothly, Alicia shook her head and started struggling to get off Mark's arm. "Go to sleep, Ally!"

Alicia shook her head yawning. "I'm waiting for Meredith."

"She might stay in the bathroom for a while, so you go to sleep and she'll come soon." Despite the fact that his daughter was behaving like a spoiled child, Mark tried to keep a sweet tone in his voice so that she could comply easier. He went over to her bedside and held up the covers, tempting her to get inside underneath their warmth. Hugging Lolo to her chest, Alicia looked at Mark and then at her place in bed. She got under the covers halfheartedly and Mark tucked her in. "You're too tired, Ally, so close your eyes." He whispered after he kissed her on forehead.

"I want to wait for Meredith." Alicia whimpered quietly.

"Meredith and I need to talk about something first, so you'd better sleep now." Mark told her.

"About my party?" Alicia asked him, smiling with excitement. "I want to talk too." Suddenly, she felt refreshed again and found the energy to stand upright.

Mark chuckled as he gently pushed her back down on bed. "It's not about your party. Now be a good girl and sleep."

Alicia stayed still and stared at him, thoughtful. "If I'm a good girl, would you get me a kitten?"

Mark closed his eyes as he inhaled and exhaled to stay calm. He looked down at her and smiled. "You'll get a kitten." He muttered. A glamorous smiled showed on her face. "Close your eyes and sleep now."

Alicia shut her eyes as tight as she could and hid her face in Lolo's fluffy hair. Mark caressed her head and turned off the lights before he left her room. He made sure he closed the door in silence, though he knew Alicia wasn't asleep yet. Then his attention fell over the bathroom. There was no sound coming from there, so he assumed Meredith should be out soon.

Indeed, as he walked down the hall, towards the bathroom, Mark heard the doorknob twisting and immediately the door creaked as Meredith opened it. Same as in the previous evenings when Meredith had slept over his place and bathed in his bathroom, she came out wearing only Mark's shirt and her wet hair flowed over her shoulders, printing wet marks over her chest and breasts. Mark stopped not far from her and looked at her, carefully analyzing each visible part of her skin.

They both started walking towards each other in the same time and Meredith made a step aside as their way intersected, but Mark stepped in front her and his hands gently took her by her arms. Meredith remained frozen in the spot and felt his body come toward her like a magnet as she leaned against him. Mark brought his hand to Meredith's lower back while his other hand brushed to back her hair. His breath brushed the curve of her neck as he inhaled the fresh scent of skin, slowly started nuzzling behind her ear.

"You're not mad." Meredith mumbled as her head tilted to a side, exposing more of her neck for Mark.

"I'm not mad." Mark breathed out against her neck. "I told you it doesn't matter what you think of me." Mark brushed his lips along curve of her neck and then he cupped her head between his hands. "I was just curious." Mark looked at her as he spoke. "This morning…" He hadn't fully closed the space between them. His touches were still light. They lacked the heat from this morning. "You won't get more than sex." He told her, straight off.

Meredith's eyes hadn't left his as he spoke. "Do I still get to see Ally?" She asked him. Mark agreed through a nod. Then she smiled and crashed her lips on his. Mark picked her up, her legs wrapping around him, and carried her to his bedroom.


	17. The kitten

N/A: I wasn't sure if you would like to read sex scenes in this story and I am not sure if I want to write sex scenes for it either:).

It took me a while to bring this chapter up, because I had to rethink the storyline a little bit.

--

**Chapter 17 – The kitten**

Meredith started waking as she felt the bed wiggling beneath her. She stretched her body sleepily and rolled on her side. As she opened her eyes slowly and heavily, Meredith smiled. Alicia was in bed beside her, sitting in her bum, frowned, arms folded over her chest and glaring at Meredith.

"Hey, Al." Meredith smiled sleepily.

"You didn't come to sleep with me. You don't want to sleep with me anymore." At first, Meredith hadn't noticed Alicia's bad mood, but she became aware of it as Alicia expressed her discontent. "And why are you and my daddy sleeping naked?"

"What?" Meredith jumped in her seat, pulling the covers over her. Just then, she realized. She had spent the night with Mark and now Alicia was standing in bed between them.

Meredith's shout made Mark rolled over to their side, groaning. "What's going on here?" Alicia turned her glare towards Mark as she heard him. "Hey, Al." He smiled sleepily.

"She's in bed with us, Mark!" Meredith spat.

"What?" Mark had the same reaction as Meredith had, jumping upright and covering himself with as much sheets as he could. "Get out of here, Ally!" He snapped at her, harsher than he would have intended to. Alicia started, scared; her frown deepened and her eyes started tearing. "Leave the bed already and wait in your room!" Mark spat again.

Shaking of anger and sadness, Alicia crawled to the edge of the bed and climbed down, silently sobbing. She stormed out of the room and walked across the hall to her room, slamming the door shut.

Mark and Meredith watched her leaving already regretting the morning greeted they had given her. "You were too harsh on her." Meredith muttered.

Mark scowled mutual at her and got out of the bed, bending and picking up his boxers. "Shouldn't you get ready for work?" He asked.

"I'll go see Ally first." Meredith grumbled as she made her way out of the bed. Her underwear and Mark's shirt had been thrown around the bed, so it didn't take her long to put them on.

"No, I'll go see Ally first." Mark grumbled, nervously.

"I don't think she wants to see you now." Meredith replied, glaring.

"I'm her father so she has to see me either she wants or not!" Mark spat angrily.

Meredith took a deep breath, trying to calm down, as she knew that confronting Mark while they were both angry wouldn't be in her benefit. "What would you answer to her question about finding us naked in the same bed?" She ask calmly and sounding casually.

And she was right. Mark remained blocked, staring at her dumbfound. "I'll go take a quick shower." He mumbled as he passed past Meredith and walked out of the bedroom.

Meredith smiled glumly, as she realized how easy to fight against Mark was. Her smile disappeared instantly as Meredith heard muffled sobs coming from Alicia's room. She walked out of the bedroom and paused in the middle of the hall not knowing how she could comfort the girl. She heard the shower starting and then the water splashing and then she knew Mark was under shower. Meredith sighed and grabbed the doorknob, twisting it and pushing the door open slowly. She peeked inside at first and spotted Alicia sitting at the other side of the bed, on floor, with her face buried between her knees.

Meredith stepped inside the room and walked slowly to the place where Alicia was crying. Sensing Meredith's presence, Alicia sniffed and glanced up at her, wiping her cheek in the same time.

"He didn't mean to yell at you like that," Meredith sat down beside Alicia, speaking in a soft voice. "We were both scared because we weren't expecting to find you there," She tried to explain. Alicia looked up at her, frowning, obviously not accepting or not understanding Meredith's explanation. "You know… like when you wake up in the middle of the night knowing that you're alone, but then you find someone in room with you." Alicia shrugged, sobbing and looking down at her feet.

Meredith put her arm around Alicia and pulled her slowly to her. Alicia allowed her the gesture and lay down, putting her head down on Meredith's lap. "I like you… I like you more than he … he does." Alicia mumbled between sobs. To her it wasn't fair to sleep alone, while Meredith chose to sleep with her daddy.

Alicia's confession had an unexpected impact on Meredith. There was more behind 'I like you' than the literal meaning of the words and that touched her deeply. "Can I tell you a secret?" Meredith asked, whispering to her ear. Alicia looked at her and nodded. "Nobody has told me this until now. You really like me?"

Alicia stood upright and wrapped her tiny arms around Meredith, hugging her. "I really like you, Meri." She muttered. Meredith hugged her tightly. "I like you very much; so much that I want you to be my mommy."

Meredith froze at Alicia's statement. She had certainly not expected to that.

"Are you mad?" Alicia's question brought her back from her trance. Alicia was now looking at her, worried as probably her face was inexpressive and she couldn't see if Meredith was angry or not on what she had said.

"I'm not mad," Meredith smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "That was very sweet of you to say, but… we've known each other just for a few days, Ally. You're not sure if you really want me as your mommy. You just got here and you haven't met too many people," Alicia was already refusing Meredith's explanation, shaking from her head. Meredith was shocked again with Alicia's answer. "Let's not talk about this now, ok?" She took her face between her hands, smiling. "I like you more than I like your daddy."

"Then why didn't you come to sleep with me?" Her mood had lightened up a little bit and passed from upset to unpleased, which was much better for Meredith.

"Well…" Meredith hesitated for a moment, looking for the right answer. "We had to talk…"

"About Halloween," Alicia cut in.

"That's right," Meredith nodded, pleased with escape that Alicia had suggested. "We talked a lot and… we fell asleep."

"But why were you naked?" Alicia put the imminent question.

Meredith swallowed a lump and smiled sheepishly. "We… we got very uh…"

"Hot?" Alicia asked, hoping she would help her with the stammering.

"That's right," Meredith nodded, accepting again Alicia's ideas. "We got very hot. It was very hot in your father's room."

"You should have come in my room. I slept fine." She explained.

"I'll keep that in mind the next time." Meredith giggled, pressing again her lips against her forehead. She lingered, breathing in the sweet scent of Alicia's hair.

Alicia pulled away a little and looked up at Meredith with a questioning expression on her face. "What did you decide about Halloween?" She asked, smiling impatiently.

For the 'n'th time that morning, Meredith had trouble answering. She and Mark hadn't talked at all about the Halloween party from Alicia's kindergarten and at that point, she had just one answer to giver her; an answer which neither of them would like. "I'm not sure if I'll be able to come to your party." Alicia looked at her, disappointedly and waiting for an explanation. "I might be working that day… all day, because many people get sick because of the candies or alcohol abuse, so probably I'll have to be there and help those people."

"Stupid people!" Alicia grumbled, frowning, but apparently accepting Meredith's explanation.

Meredith smiled, impressed with her answer and kissed her on the forehead again. "You can say that again."

Alicia pulled away from Meredith's arms and stood up. She went over to her nightstand and took her hairbrush, returning then with it at Meredith. "Will you help me?" She asked.

"Of course." Meredith stood up and sat down at the edge of the bed. Alicia climbed up and sat beside her as well.

"I'm so excited, Meri!" Alicia sighed, sounding indeed overwhelmed by whatever she had found exciting.

"Why is that?" Meredith asked her conversationally, while she brushed carefully her long blonde hair.

"Because I'm going to get a kitten." Alicia looked back at Meredith, smiling.

"You are?" Meredith asked, suspicious. "Does your father know about that?"

"Yes, he knows," Alicia nodded from her head. "He promised me."

"When?" Meredith asked, now more curious.

"Last night. I didn't want to go to bed and he was making me to. I wanted to wait for you, Meri." Alicia pouted.

"Ok and how did he agree to buy you a kitten?" Meredith asked.

"I said I would sleep if I can have a kitten." Alicia grinned smugly.

"Really?" Meredith laughed as she realized how desperate for sex Mark was. He had accepted to buy his girl a kitten so that he could get laid.

From the doorway, Mark cleared his throat and made the girls look at him as he walked inside the room. "You can go take a shower before you leave, if you want to." He said, walking towards the bed and not looking at Meredith.

Meredith put the hairbrush down on bed and gathered Alicia's hair in a big ponytail. She kissed her and then stood up, leaving to bathroom.

Alicia knelt and crawled towards the middle of the bed, greeting her daddy with her arms open. Mark picked her up and brought her on his lap. "I'm sorry I yelled at you like that earlier," He said softly, kissing her on the temple. "You scared me."

"I know." Alicia smiled at him. "You and Meri are forgiven."

"Thank you," Mark chuckled. "Did she tell you why she stayed and slept with me?" He asked cautiously, a little afraid of whatever Meredith had told her.

Alicia nodded. "About Halloween," She sighed and looked sad at him. "Meri said you are her boss."

"I am. I'm one of her bosses. Why?"

"Can't you let her come to my party?" She put up a pleading face. "She said she would work then."

Mark was pleasantly impressed with Meredith's explanation, but now it came the hardest part for him. Should he or not invite Meredith to Alicia's Halloween party?

"I'll see what I can do," He agreed honestly. A huge smile grew on Alicia's face. "But," Her father wiped that smile instantly. Mark paused, listening to the shower from bathroom before he continued. "You have to tell everyone at the kindergarten that Meredith isn't your mother."

"Why?" Alicia frowned.

"Al, sweetie, I explained that to you before. You can't lie about who your parents are, especially when Meri, for example, doesn't know about it. What if I fall in love with other woman than Meredith? People would find out then about your lie. You have to choose, Al what do you want now, Meri at your party or Meri … as your secret mommy? You can't have them both."

"Why can't I have them both?" Alicia sighed as she rested her body on her father.

"You can't have them both now, but you will." Mark said softly to her ear.

"When?" She looked up at him, anxious.

"Soon, I hope." Mark answered, speaking more for himself. He sighed and hugged her tighter. "Let's get ready for kindergarten, ok?" Mark put Alicia down, standing up and walking over to her closet. "What's with you up so early anyway?" He asked.

"I wanted to stay with Meri a little." Alicia answered casually as she walked over to her father, stepping in front of him so that she could choose her clothes by herself.

Mark stepped back, letting her choose whatever she wanted to, since she had more style than he had. He leaned against her desk, sighed and became thoughtful. Alicia's bad wake up call, his conversation with her over the mother topic didn't leave him time to think of what had just happened between him and Meredith. He knew that keeping Meredith around him and Alicia would make his daughter notice the absence of a mother. But Meredith proved to be very helpful, though she had no experience with children. She entered into their life and stayed there. The only thing he refused to think about was what Meredith had told him over the dinner. _'She has no right to interfere,'_ He thought and with that, he blocked it out.

"Daddy!" Alicia's call brought him back from his thoughts.

"Yes, Ally." He sighed and walked over to the bed where Alicia had taken her street clothes.

"Can I have the kitten today?" She asked.

"Sure," Mark grumbled, helping Alicia put on her jeans.

"Can I come with you when you go buy it?" Alicia asked.

Mark stopped and looked at her. "No" He answered simply and picked her up, bringing her on her feet so that he could pull on the jeans.

"I want a petite kitten, daddy," Alicia said. "And I want it to be white and puffy."

"Do you also want me to buy you a kitten with a pink collar?" He asked.

Alicia thought about it for a moment and then nodded. "I do."

"Ok then," Mark chuckled.

Alicia pulled over her head her pink sweater and then she saw Meredith leaning against the doorframe, watching them. "Guess what, Meri?" Alicia smiled and hurried to get to her. "I'm going to have a kitten today."

"I heard." Meredith smiled at her and then she looked curious at Mark. Mark rolled his eyes and walked out of the room, heading towards the kitchen.

"Let's go eat!" Alicia took Meredith's hand and pulled her after her.

Meredith opposed, refusing to go with her. Alicia stopped and turned to look curiously at Meredith.

"I can't stay for breakfast because I have to go to home first to change this dress and then I have to hurry to the hospital." Meredith explained, knelt at Alicia's level.

"You don't have a car," Mark said, as he showed up on the hall. Obviously, he had listened to everything that Alicia and Meredith were talking.

"I called for a cab already. I realyly should stop by my house and change my clothes." Meredith said as she looked down at her dress.

Mark's eyes lingered over body; her skin still felt warm on his. "Ok." He muttered, shaking his head and his thoughts and turned toward the living room this time.

"Will you come tonight to see my kitten?" Alicia asked Meredith as they walked together towards the door.

"I might stop by if I have time," Meredith answered.

Alicia smiled with satisfaction. "Ok, Meri! I'm going to miss you." She opened her arms for a hug.

Meredith knelt at her level and gave her a hug and a kiss. "I'm going to miss you too. Be a good girl and have fun at kindergarten today."

They both pulled away from the hug and Meredith stood up. Mark leaned against the door, watching them, and didn't move when Meredith turned to leave.

"What are you doing?" Meredith asked him, slightly surprised by his gesture.

"Nothing," Mark replied nonchalantly, checking her up again. He stepped away from the door and opened it for her.

"Bye, Ally!" Meredith waved to Alicia.

"Bye, Meri!" Alicia waved back, a playful smile lighting her face.

"Thanks… for the dinner," Meredith smiled at Mark and turned to head towards the elevator. As she did that, Mark grabbed her wrist and held her back. Meredith looked at him questioning.

"You're welcome." Mark smiled at her.

Meredith made a step closer to Mark and leaned in to him. "You're not going to buy her a kitten, are you?" She asked him in whisper.

Mark chuckled and leaned to her ear. "Page me later if you miss me."

Meredith jerked her wrist from his grip, scowling. "You're evil." She turned and stomped toward the elevator.

"And sexy!" Mark shouted after, laughing.

--

_Another N/A: You didn't really think Mark would buy Alicia a kitten so easily, did you? :)_


	18. Good at about everything

**Chapter 18 – Good at about everything**

"Meredith has something interesting to share with us," Izzie threw her tray filled with food on table, sitting down at the table where Meredith, Cristina and George were eating.

Cristina looked questioningly at Meredith, while George looked back and forth between Izzie and Meredith thoroughly confused.

"Nothing interesting to share," Meredith replied, ignoring their stares and continuing to eat her apple.

"Ask her when was the last time she slept at home," Izzie nudged Cristina, smirking.

"Where did you spend last night, Meredith?" Cristina asked her, with a straight face. Meredith bit from her apple and kept reading from her magazine, ignoring her friend's curious stares. "I thought you didn't like him," Cristina continued.

"I don't," Meredith replied simply, not looking away from the magazine.

"Then why has your bed been untouched for the last two days?" Izzie asked hungry for some good gossip.

Meredith glanced at Izzie, glaring and then she looked back down to her magazine without answering.

"You like him," It was Cristina's conclusion.

"I don't like him!" Meredith spat, throwing her magazine on table. Her friends stared at her suspiciously. "Ally invited me to dinner last night." She muttered and picked up the magazine again, though this time she was no longer reading it.

"I thought he didn't like you." Cristina said, now referring to Mark.

"He doesn't." Meredith replied simply.

"You started liking each other." Cristina chuckled.

Izzie leaned over the table, towards Meredith, smiling. "Is he good?" She asked in whisper.

"That's none of your business!" Meredith spat again. Her reaction confirmed Cristina's latest statement. She saw the grins from Izzie and Cristina's faces and George's embarrassed smile and became suddenly calm. "Alicia is a very sweet girl and I really enjoy spending the time with her."

"She definitely is a sweet girl," Izzie chuckled. "But her daddy doesn't stand to see women around her."

"Besides," Cristina cut it. "No matter how sweet this girl is, you are not that motherly, Meredith."

Meredith didn't appreciate Cristina's words. "Maybe I am." She stood up, nervous and took her apple and her magazine, turning to leave. As she did that, Meredith bumped into Mark.

Mark took a step back; his posture was the glaring one that everyone knew. "Grey, I need to talk to you." He said dryly.

Meredith looked back at her friends and saw Izzie and Cristina smirking discreetly. "I need to finish my lunch." She said, though she was already standing ready to leave and she was only eating an apple.

"You can finish it at that table over there." Mark replied, gesturing with his head towards a free table in a corner of the patio. He turned on his heels and walked towards that table, without waiting for Meredith's consent of going with him. Despite that, Meredith followed him.

They sat across from each other, Meredith taking a bite from her apple and Mark staring inexpressively at her. "I need a favor." He sighed and leaned back in his chair. Meredith stared at him, chewing the apple and waiting to hear what was that favor about. "I have two surgeries re-scheduled for this afternoon and I'd appreciate if you'll pick up Alicia from kindergarten."

"Will you appreciate? Really?" Meredith giggled.

"Will you pick her up?" He asked her.

Meredith put the apple down and leaned in her chair, folding her arms across her chest. "Did you buy her the kitten?" She asked him, glaring.

"Yes." Mark answered. Meredith narrowed her eyes, staring at him with suspicion. She knew he was lying. "Do you want me to show you the receipt?" He asked her, reading the distrust from her eyes.

"Yes. I want to see the receipt." Meredith answered.

Mark glared at her, but he took out his wallet and pulled out a white small receipt. He put it on table and pushed it towards Meredith.

Meredith took it and looked over it. Immediately she noticed the Toys "R" Us label on it. It was a 46,78 receipt for a kitten stuffed toy. Meredith looked up at Mark and stared at him wordlessly. She sighed and smiled. "Ok." She agreed.

"Aren't you going to say anything about this?" Mark raised his eyebrows, suspicious.

"No." Meredith answered and smiled amused.

It was now Mark's turn to narrow his eyes and stare at her with distrust. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to pick Ally up from kindergarten," Meredith shrugged, sounding casually. "You're a total ass though." She added.

Mark chuckled. He had started to regret that he had shown the receipt to Meredith when she seemed fine with picking up Alicia from kindergarten, though she was going to be the one dealing with Alicia's disappointment, but Meredith took care to reassure him. "There's one thing I need to tell you first," He was determined to tell Meredith about Alicia's lie. "But I don't want to hear any judgment from you. I'm handling the things the best way I can." He was serious as he said that and Meredith could see it. "Apparently…" He started hesitantly. "People from kindergarten think that you're Alicia's mother."

"Why?" Meredith asked, confused. "I swear I didn't register there with my name." She said defensively.

"I know," Mark sighed and looked away, staring in blank. "Alicia registered herself." He muttered.

"What? What are you talking about?" Meredith asked.

Mark looked at her and sighed. "Alicia told everyone there that you're her mother."

"But Mrs. Kendrick knows I'm not."

"Mrs. Kendrick might have believed her." He muttered.

"And did you let her believe her?" Meredith asked him reproachfully.

"I didn't!" Mark spat. "I'm not even sure what Mrs. Kendrick knows about Alicia's mother. I just wanted to warn you in case that she says something weird to you."

"Did you talk to Alicia about this? Do you agree with her lie?" Meredith asked him, irritated. She didn't know if she should feel wheedled about it or nervous. Mark's lack of reaction to Alicia's lie was the most irritating.

"I tried," Mark sighed. "I can't handle everything, ok?"

"And do you want me to handle all these?" She asked him with the same irritation in her voice. "Do you want me to handle your daughter's problems?" Mark stared at her without saying anything in return. "I'm not good at this … motherly thing."

"Just try. See what you can do to clarify this situation," He didn't say it in words, but the tone of his voice and look from his eyes were pleading. Meredith hesitated in giving him an answer. Mark leaned over the table towards her and whispered. "You're better at these things than you give yourself credit. Then he leaned back to his chair, watching a dazed Meredith and smiled. "You're good at just about everything."

Meredith glared as she got the dirty hint from his compliment. "I'll see what I can do to help." She grumbled and stood up.

Mark stood up as well and grabbed her wrist. He threw a set of keys in her hand. "You'll need these." Meredith nodded and tried to pull her hand back, but Mark held it back in a strong grip. He leaned in to her and whispered. "You didn't page me. I'm disappointed."

Meredith jerked her wrist from his grip and rubbed it, smiling at him. "I'm more disappointed than you are."

"What's that suppose to mean?" He narrowed his eyes, offended.

"You said it… I'm good at about everything," Meredith chuckled. "Unfortunately, I can't say the same thing about you." It was her turn to make a dirty compliment.


	19. No more tears

_N/A: This is the longest chapter ever and it has steaminess and love so I hope you are going to forgive me for being so late with it. :) This might the last chapter for the next three weeks, since I'm going on vacation on Monday and I may not be able to find internet where I'm going. _

_For those who read my other Mer/Mark fic, Let it change us, I haven't given up on it. I hope I'll catch up with it during this vacation. _

_Thank you, Bethany for all your help and sorry for stressing you lately! :)_

--

**Chapter 19 – No more tears**

Meredith peeked inside the classroom through the small window of the door. Children were gathered in groups and Mrs. Kendrick was closely watching one of them. As Meredith opened the door, the teacher immediately noticed her.

"Meredith!" Mrs. Kendrick came, greeting with a cheerful smile.

"Mrs. Kendrick," Meredith smiled, uncomfortable with teacher's friendly greeting.

"Madeline," Mrs. Kendrick corrected her, smiling. "It's good to see you again."

Meredith started feeling even more uncomfortable now. She nodded, smiling at Mrs. Kendrick and then she looked around her hoping she would spot Alicia immediately. She spotted her indeed, but to her surprise, Alicia didn't look very happy to see her; it wasn't a frown of displeasure and Meredith understood that as she remembered what Mark had told her about Alicia's lie.

"Hey, Ally!" Meredith smiled, waving at her.

Alicia came running to her and landed in Meredith's open arms. "Let's go!" She said swiftly and took Meredith's hand, trying to pull her towards the door.

"Wait," Meredith stopped her, laughing. "How about your backpack?"

"I'll take it tomorrow," Alicia replied quickly, still struggling to take Meredith out of the classroom.

"Aww, Ally," Mrs. Kendrick laughed and knelt at her level. "I know you're excited to see your kitten, but it won't take you long to gather your things."

Alicia shook her head frowning.

"Go, Al," Meredith grabbed her by her shoulders and twisted her around, pushing her towards the closet where all the children were keeping their backpacks. "Don't worry," she leaned in down to her and whispered to her ear.

Alicia looked back at Meredith with distrust. She didn't know what Meredith was talking about, so her fear of having her lie revealed was terrifying. She ran towards that closet and started stuffing different things in her bag, barely paying attention to the things she was taking as her eyes were watching carefully Meredith and Mrs. Kendrick.

Meredith could read easily the panic from her eyes.

"She's extremely excited with this kitten," Mrs. Kendrick stated, chuckling as she and Meredith were watching Alicia.

"Yeah, she is," Meredith muttered.

"Caroline wants to have Alicia in a play for our Christmas festivity," Meredith turned to look at her confused. "Her ballet teacher," Mrs. Kendrick cleared that out as she saw Meredith's confusion.

"Oh," Meredith smiled, impressed. "What kind of play will it be?"

Mrs. Kendrick smiled slightly embarrassed. "I have to say that I'm not sure yet. I know it will have a Christmas theme. I know Caroline is choosing the children for the play and she wants to have Alicia. Josef is also very satisfied with Alicia's performances."

Meredith couldn't help but smile at the news and feel proudly.

"You have a wonderful daughter, Meredith," Mrs. Kendrick said.

Meredith chocked and coughed nervously as she heard Mrs. Kendrick's compliment. Probably Alicia had heard it too, because she was at Meredith's side in a flash, taking her hand and looking pleadingly at her.

Meredith looked up at Mrs. Kendrick, smiling, feeling her cheeks burning. "Thank you," she muttered. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to understand how she could say that, though it wasn't hard to know why. She inhaled and exhaled slowly and then she looked down at Alicia. "Ready to go?" Alicia answered with a firm nod. "It was nice seeing you again… Madeline," Meredith smiled politely at her.

"Will you bring her tomorrow too?" Mrs. Kendrick asked her.

"Uh… I don't think so. Tomorrow is Sunday and her father has the day off," Meredith explained.

"Oh that's great then. I'm sure Ally will be enjoying some family time," Mrs. Kendrick smiled. "She's spent a lot of time here this week."

Meredith just smiled and nodded, not sure of what she should say next.

"Will you bring her on Monday or will her father do it?" Mrs. Kendrick asked.

'_Why in the hell do you care?'_ Meredith cursed in her mind, still smiling at Mrs. Kendrick, this time with slight sarcasm. "I'm not sure, but probably Dr. Sloan will bring her."

"Let's go now," Alicia tugged on Meredith's hand with a pleading voice.

"Ok," Meredith smiled at her, happy with the idea of leaving faster and escaping from Mrs. Kendrick's curiosity. They turned to head to the door when Mrs. Kendrick stopped them.

"I know it might not be my business," she said. Meredith looked back at her, glaring. "Are you two sharing her custody?"

Meredith let out a silent whimper as she heard the teacher's question. "Long story," she said and then opened the door and led Alicia outside.

"Ok then," Mrs. Kendrick said, sounding embarrassed for her indiscretion. "I'll see you on Monday, Ally. Bring us some pictures with your kitten."

Alicia looked back at her, smiling. "Goodbye Mrs. Kendrick," she waved at her and then hurried to keep the pace with Meredith.

The walk until Meredith's car was quiet. Meredith was still trying to understand how she could give those answers to Mrs. Kendrick and she was already regretting for accepting to pick Alicia up from kindergarten. In the meantime, Alicia stayed quiet, just from time to time glancing up at Meredith to see her mood; she didn't know if her lie had been revealed, but the thought of that was still terrifying.

"Hop in," Meredith opened the backseats door for Alicia, smiling at her. She was indeed nervous, but not because of Alicia's lie. It was her fault for not being able to clear that out with Alicia's teacher and Mark's for agreeing to cover Alicia's lie.

Encouraged a little by Meredith's smile, Alicia smiled sweetly at her. "Can I stay with you in front?" She asked in a quiet voice.

Meredith thought about that for a moment and then nodded, smiling. "You don't live far so I guess it's ok."

She shut the door and walked Alicia to the passenger seat. Meredith helped her in and fastened safely the seatbelt over the girl's small body. After she shut the door, she walked around the car and slid inside on the driver's seat. While she fastened her seatbelt, Meredith could feel Alicia's gaze on her.

She looked at her and smiled; a smile that Alicia returned immediately.

"Oh sweetie," Meredith sighed, running her hand through the girl's hair. "Why did you say that to your teachers and your friends?"

Alicia looked worried at her, wrinkles creasing over her tiny, smooth forehead. "Don't be mad," she muttered so quietly that Meredith would have found it impossible to understand her if she hadn't guessed her words.

"I'm not mad, sweetie," Meredith smiled at her. "But why did you say that?"

Alicia looked down at her hands sadly.

"Ally," Meredith caressed her cheek and put her hand under chin to make her look up at her. "I'm your friend, right?" Alicia nodded in response. "But I'm not your mommy."

"Why?" her tender voice was about to break as tears filled her beautiful eyes.

Her tears watered Meredith's eyes as well. "Because life's unfair sometimes," she sighed as she gave her the only answer she had for her at that moment.

"My friends always talk about their mommies," Alicia was crying now. She hid her face in her hands and rubbed it against them.

"I don't mind being your secret," Meredith sniffed, trying to hold back her tears. "But what if your daddy finds you a mommy? Other than me?"

"He won't," she shook her head sobbing.

"You can't know that," Meredith smiled warmly at her.

"I do," Alicia said, pouting.

"How can you know that?" Meredith asked her. There was some confidence in Alicia's answer that made Meredith curious.

"Because he doesn't see other ladies but you," Alicia answered.

Meredith stared at her thoughtful for a moment. _'This is silly'_ she thought, trying to smile and shook off Alicia's innocent remark.

"Let's go home now. No more tears, please," Meredith said softly, caressing her cheek.

Alicia wiped her tears and after her face was dry again, she looked up at Meredith and her charming smile grew weakly over her lips. "Is my kitten white?" she asked her.

Meredith chocked as she heard her. No matter how much she enjoyed Alicia's company, she also had to admit that being around her was most of the time uncomfortable.

"I don't know," Meredith sighed. "I haven't seen it yet."

"Is it home alone?" Alicia asked.

"I suppose so," Meredith sighed again. With each answer she was giving to Alicia's question, she felt her chest filling of guilt and pain, because of the disappointment that the girl would suffer.

"Hurry then, Meri!" Alicia urged her impatiently.

--

Meredith didn't even have time to take the key out of the latch, because Alicia opened it and stormed inside the apartment. Meredith took a deep breath and followed her reluctantly. She turned the lights on and saw Alicia running around the living room, looking probably after her kitten.

"Kitty! Kitty!" she called after it with excitement. "Here kitty!"

After she called several times after it, Alicia stopped in the middle of the living room and looked at Meredith worried. "Meri, where's my kitten?"

"Maybe he left it in your room," she suggested. Mark had done a cruel thing to let her down like that after he had promised her to buy her kitten, so Meredith had a plan to make him regret it; especially for putting the dirty job on her.

Meredith took Alicia to her room and turned on the lights. Meredith saw the stuffed kitten, resting on the pillows in Alicia's bed.

Alicia gasped with excitement as she saw the fluffy white ball in her bed and ran towards it, squealing "My Kitty!"

As she stopped by the bed, Alicia stared confused at the presumed animal. It wasn't moving and its eyes were glass-like. She touched it hesitantly with her fingertips.

Watching her from the doorway, Meredith could see the girl's eyes watering while staring at that toy. "Meri?" Alicia asked, already sobbing. She turned slowly to look at Meredith; her eyes were drowning in tears. "Is this my kitten?" she asked her in a low voice.

Meredith walked slowly to Alicia and tried to smile comforting. "It looks like a toy," she said, looking into Alicia's watering eyes. Alicia nodded, agreeing with her. "Maybe he hasn't brought the kitten home yet," in that moment, Meredith couldn't feel angrier on Mark. It was no longer because he had left her do the dirty work; it was because he had disappointed his little girl. "Maybe he wants to give it to you when he gets home," Meredith knew it was a cruel thing to let Alicia hope for a kitten, but Alicia seemed to be looking at Meredith with distrust already and besides that, Mark would have the chance to face the consequences of his own acts.

"Ok," she sobbed. Deep down, Alicia probably knew she wouldn't receive her favorite pet.

Meredith sat down on bed and picked up Alicia on her lap. "This is a cute toy too, isn't it?" Meredith took the stuffed kitten and gave it to Alicia.

Alicia took it and nodded reluctantly. "I'll name it… Kitty," she muttered.

"That's a pretty name," Meredith smiled, smoothing her hair lovingly. She wrapped her arms around Alicia and sighed as she brought her to rest to her chest. "Your father is going to kill me," she muttered under breath.

Alicia heard her and looked at her with sad eyes. "Why?"

Meredith smiled kindly and caressed her cheek. "He has reasons."

"I won't let him," Alicia promised.

"I know," Meredith smiled at her sweet answer. "I know," she whispered. "Are you hungry?" Alicia looked up at her and nodded. "Should I order in a pizza?" Meredith asked her. Alicia shrugged indifferent.

--

It was still light outside that evening, when Mark pulled his car in front of the building. He locked the car and instinctively glanced up. As he did that, a pair of beautiful eyes and a charming smile greeted him from the window of his apartment.

Alicia waved at him as she saw him and disappeared from the window. Mark continued to stare dumbfounded at that window. A feeling of panic swept through his mind as he started to think at the possible reasons for which Alicia was waiting for him in front of the window; Meredith either told her he would bring the kitten home, either Meredith bought her a kitten for real.

--

The doors opened at his floor and Mark took a deep breath before he did the first step outside. He was sure that one of his two suspicions was the reason for Alicia's greeting; she wouldn't have done that just for a toy.

The elevator's doors closed behind him and Mark hesitate in making any step towards his apartment. He needed to think fast on a good excuse.

Unfortunately for him, Alicia didn't give him any time of thinking. "Daddy!" She came out of the apartment, running towards him. "Do you have it?" she asked him as she started running around him, precisely looking for something.

The only thing he was caring was his briefcase with some of the papers from hospital. A kitten wouldn't have fit in it. Alicia stopped in front of him and looked at him with the saddest eyes.

The sadness from her eyes was speaking more than thousand words.

Mark sighed as the guilt washed over. "Are you alone?" He asked her in a kind voice and knelt down at her level.

Alicia shook her head and turned around, walking slowly back to the apartment. Mark sighed and followed her inside.

Alicia walked straight to her room, ignoring everyone. As the door closed quietly behind her, muffled sobs could be heard coming from her room.

Mark and Meredith looked at each other for a moment, both of them hurt by the girl's pain.

"I guess I deserve that," Mark muttered as he threw the briefcase in a chair. He shrugged out of his jacket and then he crushed on the couch.

"You do," Meredith muttered, glaring at him. "But she doesn't," she added and turned around and followed Alicia in her bedroom.

Alicia was sitting in the middle of the bed, with her legs tucked beneath her and playing with the stuffed kitten she had received. Her sobs were quiet and her tears were thin and slow, barely visible on her white cheeks.

"Don't be sad, Ally," Meredith walked over to her bed and sat on bed in front of her. Alicia just glanced up at her. "Ally," she spoke pleadingly. "I'm sure you are going to get a kitten one day, but your daddy is right," Alicia looked at her, curious. "You can't let the kitten stay alone in here while you and he are gone all day from home. The kitten would feel too lonely in here without you and that would make it very sad."

"But I'll stay home with it," Alicia muttered.

"You are still too little to stay home alone. Besides, you have to go to kindergarten and learn things," Meredith explained. Alicia looked down at her toy with sadness. "When your grandma comes to live with you, I'm sure he won't have any reason to tell you no if you ask him again to buy you a kitten," Alicia glanced up at her with distrust. "If he still doesn't want to, then I promise I'll buy you one." Meredith put a finger under her chin and made her look up as she made her promise.

"Promise?" Alicia asked her in a quiet voice.

"I promise," Meredith smiled.

Alicia smiled faintly, but Meredith's promise seemed to make her feel better as she crawled to her and settled on her lap, wrapping her tiny arms around her. Meredith hugged her back, smiling satisfied.

Mark had listened to them, sitting in the doorway in silence. He smiled as Meredith noticed his presence there and she returned the smile.

Mark walked over to the bed and sat behind Alicia, gently rubbing her back. "I'm sorry, Al," he whispered as he leaned in and kissed her head.

Alicia wiped her face before she looked back at him and nodded.

"Tomorrow is Sunday, so what would you say if we go to the pet store and buy a fish. Would you like to have a fish?" He asked her.

"Yes," Alicia answered. "Are you sure?" she asked him hesitantly.

The lack of trust hurt him a little, but he understood her perfectly. "I promise," he answered with confidence. "Meredith can come with us and make sure I buy a real fish."

Alicia looked at Meredith for confirmation. Meredith was surprised by Mark's offer, but she agreed nodding. "Ok," Alicia muttered, snuggling in Meredith's arms.

"But you like the toy I bought you, right?" Mark asked her.

"Mark!" Meredith snapped at him while Alicia turned and glared at him.

"What?" He jumped defensively. Alicia buried her face in Meredith's chest, while Meredith deepened her glare for Mark. "It's a kitten," Mark muttered under his breath as he took the toy. "It's white, fluffy and it even mews if you squeeze her tail."

"Mark!" Meredith snapped again. "It's not a real kitten so stop. There's no need to twist the knife inside the wound."

Mark didn't say anything else about that and put the kitten aside on bed. "How about we go out and eat something?" He asked them casually.

"We've already eaten," Meredith answered. "There is some pizza leftovers in the kitchen for you."

"Thanks," Mark chuckled with sarcasm. "Come and heat it for me!" he told Meredith as he stood up.

"What?" Meredith glared at him.

"The pizza," Mark chuckled. "We need to talk," he said in a lower voice.

--

Meredith had been watching Mark eating from his pizza in silence for a few minutes before she let out a quiet groan and hopped up on counter.

"You can't sit there," Mark grumbled, glancing at her from the corner of his eyes.

"Shut up and eat, because I'm still waiting to hear what is it that you want to talk to me about," Meredith retorted.

Mark wiped his mouth with a napkin and then pushed the pizza box away from his face. He leaned back in his seat and folded his arms across his chest. "Thanks for helping with… with Alicia," he grumbled without looking at her, which proved to Meredith his sincerity.

"I'll buy her a kitten if you won't," she warned him. "Probably she will spend more time at home when your mother will come live with you here and then a kitten would be a real joy for Alicia. She doesn't get too much fun outside the kindergarten schedule. She doesn't have friends here yet and… and she doesn't have any siblings either," Meredith looked down at her feet as she spoke, just glancing at Mark a few times. "It's good for her to have pet."

"She'll have a fish tomorrow," Mark cut her off.

"A kitten would be great too," Meredith glared.

Mark returned the glare. Then he sighed and rubbed his face with both hands. "I hate the cats," he muttered.

Meredith delayed her answer. Somehow, she shared his feelings. "They're not so bad," she muttered.

Mark looked at her and smiled. He guessed her feelings about cats. "You're really doing this just to piss me off," he laughed, shaking his head.

"No, I not!" Meredith protested, offended. "I know how much a pet can help a girl with Alicia's condition."

"Alicia's condition?" Mark snapped.

"Yes," Meredith retorted, not intimidated by his glare. "Alicia's condition. Do you want to talk about this again?"

Mark rolled his eyes, annoyed. "How did it go with her teacher?" he asked her.

Meredith looked down at her feet again, biting her lips. Mark saw her reaction. "Give me some good news, please!" He groaned.

"Alicia got a role in their play for Christmas," Meredith replied quickly.

"Good," Mark smiled with sarcasm. He knew there was more and not necessarily something good. "Did she mention anything about… you … being her mother?" he asked her.

Meredith nodded, biting her lip.

"Ok. What did she say?" Mark asked her again, trying to sound calm. Meredith stared at him, still biting her lip. "So?" Mark asked, waiting for her answer.

Meredith took a deep breath. "She said I had a wonderful daughter," she answered.

Mark processed her answer and then nodded with calm. "And what did you say?"

"I said 'Thank you'," she muttered under breath, looking away. Then she heard a bang as Mark hit nervously his head against the table. "I'm not that good at this, ok?" Meredith snapped at him. "I am sure that you've seen the look from her eyes when you talk to her about her lie. I couldn't stand to see that look. I understand her perfectly. I know how she feels when the other children talk about their mommies. I know how she feels when someone else comes to your school's activities instead of your mommy. I've been through this. I know how you work for days to paint a nice card for Mother's Day and then when that day arrives, you give it to her through your nanny and you spend the day with someone else instead of your mother. So you can shout and call me names how many times you want, but then, never ask me to do something like this. Ok so I covered her lie too… bad thing, I know, but then, in case you'll ever decide to give up on her, I'll adopt her. Her teacher thinks we are separated and we share her custody, anyway."

Meredith was caught in her lecture that she hadn't even noticed when Mark stood up from table and came over to her. She flinched as she saw him standing right in front of her, holding a glass of water for her. Meredith took a deep breath and then she grabbed the glass from Mark, empting it down her throat.

"I'm not better at this than you are," Mark sighed as he leaned his back against the counter beside Meredith. He took the glass from her and put it on the edge of the sink. "I know I'm not a perfect parent, but no matter how impossible this seems, I won't let anyone else take care of my daughter."

"You really can't see yourself loving again or at least bearing up with someone?" she asked him.

"I bear up with you," he grumbled, glaring at her.

Meredith giggled. "Are you going to buy a fish? A real fish? One that actually breathes and swims?"

"Of course I will. Tomorrow and you are invited to come and see for yourself. A fish isn't that bad as a cat is."

"You can't buy her only one fish," Meredith shook her head.

"Why?" Mark glared at her. "I don't intend to open up an aquarium in my apartment."

"You can't buy only one fish, Mark," Meredith repeated reproachfully. "It's a cruel thing to do."

"And why is that?" he asked her with sarcasm.

"One fish in a small bowl, just try to imagine how it feels to live like that," Meredith said with sympathy and pain in her eyes. "At least buy two fishes. Like this, they won't feel the torture of captivity."

"We'll see about that," Mark agreed, rolling his eyes.

"Don't say that!" Meredith spat. "I know what this means. It means you're either not serious about the number of fishes you're going to buy, either you're not going to buy any, but let me tell you that a single fish dies after exactly two weeks."

"And how do you know that?" He asked her with the same sarcasm as before.

"I've experienced that," Meredith answered.

"Did you have any pet as child?" Mark asked her, suddenly changing the topic about Alicia's fishes.

"I did," Meredith smiled smugly. "I had hamsters, fishes, a puppy, kittens and I even had a guinea pig."

"I see you used the plural for all your pets," Mark chuckled mockingly.

"So?" Meredith frowned.

Mark chuckled. "How many of them passed through their first year of life?"

Meredith pouted, folding her arms across her chest and looked away. "They were all sick. I had bad luck," she muttered.

"I'm sure they were all sick," Mark laughed. "You were their bad luck."

Meredith gasped and slapped his head harshly. Still laughing, Mark grabbed Meredith by her waist and pulled her down from the counter, straight into his arms. He pushed her body against the counter as he walked closer to her, holding an arm wrapped firmly around her.

Mark's action was so fast that Meredith didn't have time to react. Suddenly she found herself held hostage between the counter and Mark's strong body. His hand was gripping on her shirt while his body pressed harder against hers and their eyes locked to each other like dazzled.

"You'll be sleeping over, right?" he asked her, his lips only a few inches away from hers while his free hand caressed her cheek.

"I have a home," Meredith breathed out. The closure was not just dazzling, but also breathtaking.

"I know you have," he brushed his lips against hers. "You also have a place to sleep over," his mouth was now breathing against her ear. His teeth nipped her earlobe and he could feel her losing her balance. "Sleep over," he pulled his head back to look at her.

"And be your whore?" Her mind cleared for a moment and the rationality took over.

"No," Mark laughed as his mouth started wandering over her cheek. "Be Alicia's friend," he took her face between his hands as he spoke. "And maybe you'll become my friend too," his tongue parted her lips, thrusting inside her mouth, taking her for a long passionate kiss.

"I… don't want to… to be your friend," she muttered between kisses.

"Then be her friend only," his mouth crushed against hers. His hands were now roaming all over body, one slipping slowly under her shirt, the other holding her cheek. Her mouth was hot and tempting and her breath had a sweet scent, which Mark found it as dazzling.

Her fingers clutched in his hair and a throaty groan escaped her mouth as she felt the bulge from his pants pressing against her thighs. "Don't…" she moaned, struggling to release herself from him. "Not now…"

"She won't come," Mark took her body in his hands and placed her again on counter. "She's too upset to talk to anyone," he said panting, as his lips looked hungry after hers. He cupped her chin, his tongue tracing the line of her bottom lip. She opened her mouth covering his, her tongue looking for his. Her legs wrapped around his waist and pushed his body closer to her, his erection now pressing between her inner thighs.

"You're… you're so… irresponsible," she panted as his mouth moved down to her neck. "So irresponsible," she moaned quietly as his hand cupped her breast.

Mark pulled his head up to look at her and chuckled. "Just a little horny."

"You have no morality," Meredith giggled, shaking her head disapprovingly.

"Oh, I do have," Mark chuckled, crushing his lips against hers. "I do have," he repeated, kissing her again, "but not when I'm horny."

"You're so horny," Meredith laughed.

"And you're not?" he asked her, arching his brows suggestively. His hand reached down between them and unbuttoned her jeans. Meredith shook her head in response, smiling. "You're not?" he asked her again with the flirty voice; his hand slid under jeans and reached to her wet panties. "I guess you're not," he laughed throatily as Meredith threw her head to back moaning. "enough," he added, rubbing his fingers against her panties.

"You should stop," she moaned breathlessly. Her body was now propped to back on her forearms, her legs still wrapped tightly around Mark and her mind was lost in the wave of sweet pleasures that Mark was offering.

Mark had lust in his eyes as he watched the pleasure from her face, the sweet way she was keeping her eyes closed tightly. "Should I stop now?" he leaned over, rubbing his hand intensively against her soaked panties. Mark smiled as he saw her shaking her head. He continued offering her pleasure while his lips traced the line of her jaw. He felt her closing her thighs around his hand as she reached to the orgasm. Her arms tied around his neck and she shifted her body closer to his, letting out a shriek. Mark hurried to cover her mouth, knowing that Alicia was still up, somewhere nearby. In his hurry to muffle Meredith's shriek, his hand hit over the glass and sent it down on floor, breaking it in pieces.

Meredith relaxed her body and her arms untied from around his neck. She propped herself on her forearms again, leaning her back against the wall, trying to regain the normal breathing. "You're insane," she smiled at him.

"I know," Mark chuckled. He put his hands on her waist and pulled her back to him. "Was it good?" he asked her. Meredith bit her lips, smiling and shrugging. "This…" he said as he pulled her thighs into the hard bulge from his pants. "This will be much better," he promised, taking her face between his hands and kissing her.

Meredith hugged him, giggling and answering to his kiss.

"Don't kill her!" Alicia's desperate shout made Meredith and Mark flinch. Mark couldn't compose himself to react until Alicia's tiny fist hit his leg. "Leave her alone! Get away from her!" her shouts were almost crying of pain and anger as she continued to hit her father.

"Ally," Meredith pushed Mark away and jumped down from the counter. She knelt at her level and caught her fists. "Calm down, sweetie," Meredith said, still panting after her short play with Mark and after the scare that Alicia's sudden appearance brought her. "He's not killing me," Meredith sighed as saw the girl calming down.

Alicia looked worriedly at her and then up to her father. Mark had moved to the table, where he took a seat down too muddleheaded to react in anyway to Alicia's brutal attack.

"You're sweating," Alicia stated frowning with distrust after she looked carefully at Meredith. "and you screamed," she added.

"I uh…" Meredith started stammering. "I'm sweating… I'm sweating because, uh… it's hot in here and… I uh…"

"What did he do?" Alicia asked her with pity and the same worry in her voice and look.

"He didn't do anything," Meredith answered. "We were just… just kissing," she explained. She didn't have other justification of their indecent position, so she gave her the simplest answer she could.

"Oh," Alicia looked calmer now after Meredith's answer. "Is he your boyfriend now?" she asked.

Meredith felt a lump in her throat. She swallowed and looked at Mark. Mark had heard Alicia's question, but his expression as he stared at Meredith was unreadable. Meredith closed her eyes briefly and sighed. "Not yet," she said, smiling at her. "Now get out of here or you might get cut in this glass," she pushed her away gently as she was standing right beside the place where the glass had broken.

Alicia stared down at the broken glass for a moment and then looked at Meredith. Her eyes was still sad; it was clearly that she had wished so much for a kitten that no other promise or other pet could soothe her disappointment. "Do you want to watch 'Sleeping beauty' with me?"

"Sure," Meredith smiled kindly at her. "Go find the movie and I'll be right there."

Alicia nodded and turned around, heading slowly outside. She stopped before leaving the kitchen area and glanced back at them again, her eyes lingering over her father.

"I can't believe we almost had sex with a 4 year old in the next room," Meredith cradled her head in her hands, whimpering, after Alicia left.

"I think I've just grown 10 years older," Mark sighed.

"You're such a perv…"

"And you are?" Mark cut her off, smiling crookedly at her. "You enjoyed it the most," he whispered.

Meredith frowned as she started buttoning her jeans. She rearranged her hair and neat the shirt over her body. "Are you coming?"

"No," Mark answered. He stood up, same as Meredith, rearranging his look.

"Why?" she asked him in a reproachful tone.

Mark looked at her with his crooked smile still imprinted on his lips. He walked over to her and took her in his arms, pressing her thighs against his. "That's why," he whispered to her ear. "I need a cold shower first. Start without me." He said as he let her off his arms.

--

It was in the middle of the cartoon when Mark joined Meredith and Alicia in the living room. Alicia frowned when she saw her father coming, and lay down filling the empty space; obviously, her forgiveness hadn't been entirely bought by Mark's fishes. She laid her back against Meredith, folding her arms across her chest and glaring at the TV.

Meredith smiled at Mark and made room for him next to her. Mark rolled his eyes and crushed down. After a while of staring in blank at the TV, Mark stretched his arm and laid it behind Meredith and Alicia. His fingertips found the silky hair, so he started brushing it slowly. His fingers ran through her hair, enjoying its silky curls and its texture. What Mark hadn't noticed was that Alicia had moved her head down on Meredith's lap.

The cartoon ended and Alicia stood up yawning. "Are you going to sleep with daddy again?" she asked Meredith.

Meredith smiled and glanced at Mark. Mark was still staring thoughtfully at the TV screen. "I'll sleep with you," she smiled back at Alicia.

"Ok," Alicia smiled charmingly at her and climbed down the couch. "Are you coming now?"

"I should take a bath first, but you go ahead," Meredith said.

Alicia nodded and ran to her room. Meredith leaned in to pick up the remote control from the coffee table and switched off the DVD and the TV. As the TV turned black, Mark flinched.

"You'll have time for dreaming later," Meredith giggled.

"Where's Alicia?" he asked her, ignoring her comment.

"She's getting ready for bed," Meredith answered.

Mark nodded thoughtfully. "What a night," he sighed and looked at Meredith for a reply.

"Yeah," Meredith smiled. She leaned to his ear and whispered. "You have smooth fingers."

Mark arched his brows, smiling glumly at her. Meredith laughed; he hadn't guessed the real meaning of her compliment. "My hair, Mark," she ran her fingers through her hair and pushed a strand behind the ear. "Thanks for that. It was really sweet of you!" she smiled widely and stood up.

Mark stood up and followed her outside the living room, smiling. "Will I get something in return later?" he asked her, whispered to her ear.

"No," Meredith laughed.

Alicia went fast to sleep that evening holding now Lolo and Kitty in her arms.

--

Curled up and leaning against the wall in the middle of the hall, Mark was staring at the bathroom door. The shower started and he could hear the water splashing. Hot steamy drops sliding down her slim body, one drop lingering over her erected nipple, the scent of her wet hair- the one he had smelled for the first time no long time ago, her hand running all over her body, caressing each inch of her skin, this was his daydream as he stared at the door.

Maybe it was just his testosterone or maybe there was something more, but despite his bitterness and his coldness towards women, he was no longer thinking about keeping Meredith at a distance.

He started unbuttoning his shirt while he stood up and shrugged out of it, letting it fall on floor. Mark grabbed the doorknob and twisting it, opened the door. Through the glass walls of the shower, her body looked arched to back as the water was falling over her hair.

"I was wondering how long it would take you join me," Meredith giggled.

Mark slid the door open, smiling.

"Need help?" she asked him, biting her lips as she glanced down at his pants.

"No help needed," he smiled while his hands unfastened swiftly the belt and unzipped his pants. He pushed them down to his ankles along with his boxers and stepped out of them. "I had to come and take something in return for earlier," he said with lust in his eyes as he looked down at her body; it looked just like he had dreamed it moments ago, hot and steamy. His mind had never been this clouded by lusty thoughts as earlier that evening, especially not when his little daughter was around.

Mark closed the door, slowly stepping closer to Meredith until his body pressed against hers again. His hands caressed her face as his skin enjoyed each soft part of her body. Her breasts were crushed against his chest, making him feel their fullness and softness; her abdomen was breathing fast, pulsating of excitement. His mouth covered hers, his tongue thrusting inside her mouth, massaging hers, rubbing against her teeth. She moaned of pleasure in his mouth, wrapping her arms around his neck. He nipped her lips gently, sucking them lightly, tasting their sweet flavor. His hands cupped her breasts, massaging them roughly, earning a loud moan of pleasure as Meredith let her head fall to back and his mouth fell on her long slim neck. His fingers played with her nipples, pinching and squeezing them before his lips moved down and massaged them. His tongue played around them, his teeth teased them as they bit them lightly.

Mark knelt in front of her, still holding securely her breasts in his hands. He traced kisses down her stomach and let her breasts off her hands as his lips reached to her thighs. His hands traced the outline of her hips, circling her leg and stopping between her inner thighs. He brought her leg over his shoulder as he blew inside. Meredith clutched on his neck, moaning.

"Sweet," he muttered like mesmerized as his hand rubbed closely to her throbbing pussy. His thumb parted her pink her folds, rubbing between them.

"Oh God!" she shrieked in pleasure. "Mark, I need more than your fingers," she said, pulling him by his hair to make him look up at her. "I need more," she commanded.

Mark smiled at her, pulling back his thumb and traced kisses up to her body. "I had enough cold showers today, so I can offer you more than my fingers," he smiled against her lips as he picked her up. She wrapped her legs securely around him, leaning her back against the wall as Mark thrust his whole shaft inside. His thrusts were slow at first, enjoying the sweet sensation of her walls milking him, turning faster as the pleasure and the heat started building inside his body.

"Go faster," Meredith panted pleadingly, as bit lightly from his shoulder. "I need more."

"Here's more," he moaned, slamming his pelvis harder against hers. "Here's more," he moaned loudly as he felt the orgasm washing over. He slowed down his thrusts, enjoying more of the sweet pleasure of the orgasm.

He moaned triumphal as his white, hot seed spilled and filled the small space inside her pussy, accompanied by her shriek of pleasure.

"I need to have you lay down to horizontal," he groaned, grinning at her.

"Too heavy?" She giggled, panting for air.

"No," Mark smiled. "Too horny… and porny," he laughed.

Meredith laughed and kissed him. "I can't," she said, coming down on her legs.

"Why?" he asked her with dissatisfaction.

"I promised Ally I would sleep with her tonight," Meredith answered.

"But she's asleep already. She wouldn't notice your absence," Mark brushed his lips over her ear, breathing seductively.

"I can't," she moaned, struggling with herself to resist his temptation.

"Of course you can," Mark grabbed one of her legs and lifted it over his hip, so that his cock could press directly on her pussy. "So come on," he said, looking at her. "I need you to horizontal now."

She couldn't fight against that no matter how fond she was to Alicia. "Ok," she gave in, already feeling guilty. "But I need to ask you something," Mark looked at her, waiting for her question. "Have you allowed me to sleep over so often just to have sex with me?"

"You're Alicia's friend," was his answer. He took her face between his hands and kissed her. "Let's go now!" he took her hand and turned off the shower.

"Wait," Meredith hesitated. " My question was serious, Mark."

Mark turned to her and looked into her eyes. "You're Alicia's friend," he repeated his first answer.

Maybe it was just his testosterone or maybe there was something more, but despite his bitterness and his coldness towards women, he was no longer thinking about keeping Meredith at a distance.

--

**_Please Review! :) Let me know if it was too much!  
_**


	20. Ice cream for everyone

_N/A: I'm back!! And thank you so much for the great feedback. I couldn't upload or download stuff while I was gone, but I could read your reviews through the mobile phone so I have another 3 chapters ready (almost ready, the third) for this story. _

_I hope you're going to like this one. Reviews are appreciated!_

_--_

**Chapter 20 – Ice cream for everyone**

Meredith opened her eyes slowly, heavy of sleep. It was dark in their room, but her blurry eyes still could read the red flashing lights. It was nearly 6 in the morning. Mark's body was hugging her from the back and feeling his slow breath in her nape, she knew he was asleep. She started moving in his arms, trying to make herself room and get out of his embrace. She took his arm and moved it slowly behind her. Meredith crawled to the edge of the bed and climbed down. She winced as she felt the discomfort between her inner thighs.

Neither of them had used clothes that night, so Meredith was now wandering naked through his room. She stumbled to his closet and fumbled through its drawers after some clothing items. She felt a t-shirt and then something like boxers under her touch, so she pulled them out and put them on.

Meredith headed to the door and winced as the door opened swiftly. He hadn't locked the door. The lights were on the hall, reflecting on Mark's face through the half-opened door. Her noise hadn't disturbed him as he was still sleeping in the same position she had left him on.

She closed the door slowly and crossed the hall to Alicia's room. She had promised her she would sleep with her, so she was going to keep her promise… partially. It was still dark in her room as well as the drapes had been closed, so Meredith walked carefully to her bed. She felt something strong under feet as she reached to the bed and then a she heard a mew. Meredith winced and pushed the kitten under the bed, fearfully looking after any sign of waking up from Alicia. Alicia just moaned and rearranged her position in bed. Lolo, her favorite, was still sleeping in her arms.

Meredith lifted the covers and got inside slowly. She shifted closer to Alicia, so that she could feel the sweet strawberry smell of the shampoo that the girl was usually using. She closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep. It was her off Sunday too, not only Mark's. Just that her sleep had vanished in the meantime. She opened her eyes and watched the sleeping beauty beside her. A girl that partially shared her story as little girl. She had never tried to picture herself as mother, but now, as Alicia was already part of her life, Meredith tried. If she would ever become a mother, her child wouldn't have her childhood.

Alicia start fussing and sounding awake. _'Perfect timing this morning,'_ Meredith smiled. "Hey," she whispered, greeting Alicia.

Alicia rolled to her side, facing Meredith and smiled sleepily. "Meri."

"Did you sleep well?" Meredith asked, caressing her cheek.

Alicia nodded smiling. She put Lolo in front of her and kissed it. "Morning, Lolo."

Meredith giggled as she hadn't noticed that custom on Alicia until then. Then Alicia sent Lolo to Meredith. "Morning, Lolo," Meredith laughed.

Alicia giggled with thrill, snuggling Lolo back in her arms.

"Don't you want to sleep longer? It's still early," Meredith said as she saw Alicia playing with her toy.

Alicia shook her head. She stood up and knelt beside Meredith. "When is my grandma coming?" Her wish of having a kitten hadn't vanished or disappeared in the back of her thoughts, despite of all the promises she had received from Meredith for her kitten.

"I don't know, Al, but I heard she will be here soon," Meredith stood up. She ran her hand through Alicia's hair, brushing it slowly. "But hey, aren't you excited? Today we're going to buy fishes," she tried to cheer her up.

Alicia nodded with a half of smile on her face. "Can we buy golden fishes?" she asked her.

"Sure," Meredith smiled.

"And can I make three wishes?" Alicia asked her again.

"I think you can make more than three wishes if you buy two fishes," Meredith giggled. "Let's get ready for breakfast," she said as she threw the covers away from her and jumped out of bed.

Alicia crawled to the edge and climbed down. "You're wearing my Daddy's clothes," she giggled as she took Meredith's hand.

"He won't mind," Meredith giggled and winked at her.

--

Mark moaned as he stretched his body sleepily and rolled to the middle of the bed. Immediately he noticed the empty space beside him. He raised his head a little, looking around him. It was still dark in his room and the red flashing numbers of the alarm clock were showing half past six, but he could hear muffled voiced coming from his apartment.

He groaned, unpleasantly and threw the covers away from his body, throwing his legs over the edge of the bed. He walked to the window and opened the drapes, a sunny morning revealing in front of him.

Mark rubbed his eyes, trying to banish what had left from his sleep and then started looking for some clothes to put on. He found a pair of clean boxers and a pair of jeans.

Walking out of his room, Mark heard the voices coming from the kitchen. He trailed off until there; a refreshing smell of coffee greeted him as he walked inside.

"Morning," Meredith was at the coffee machine when he walked in. "Coffee?" she showed him a steamy mug.

"Yeah," he nodded as he walked towards her. "Morning, Al!" he smiled at Alicia, who was sitting at table, making herself the breakfast.

"Morning, Daddy," she greeted him cheerfully. "I made the breakfast," she showed him proudly the plate with the few bread slices she had smudged with peanut butter and jelly.

"That's sweet," he smiled, though the grimace was obvious on his face. "You sit down and eat it, ok?" Mark turned then and took the mug of coffee from Meredith. "What time do you have to be at work?" he asked her.

"I don't have to be at work today," Meredith smirked. She took her mug of coffee and went to sit down at the table.

"Meredith can come with us to the park today?" Alicia asked Mark.

Mark looked at Meredith for her answer. Meredith arched her brows, smiling suggestively at him. "Am I invited?"

Mark groaned quietly and rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't have waited for your answer if you weren't invited," he muttered as he pulled out the chair beside her and sat down. "I think I should do some grocery shopping today. Do you know anything about groceries?" He asked her.

"How hard can it be to do groceries?" Meredith laughed mockingly.

Mark rolled his eyes. "Good this means you're going to help."

"We should go first and buy the fishes for Alicia," she said.

"I want golden fishes, Daddy," Alicia announced. "You and Meri can make a wish too and I'll make four."

Mark looked at Meredith confused. "She'll have two golden fishes, so this means 6 wishes to make. She offers us two of them and she takes the rest," she giggled. "It's sweet," she leaned in towards him and whispered.

"Yeah," Mark chuckled. "Don't worry," he said looking at Alicia. "You're going to get those fishes today."

Alicia grinned at him, her mouth already smudged of jelly and then she focused back on her breakfast.

"Don't eat too much of that or your stomach will hurt," Meredith warned her. Alicia nodded in agreement.

"Nice pajamas, by the way," Mark chuckled as he looked down at Meredith's shirt. "I like the boxers the most," he whispered to her ear.

"Those are yours, Daddy," Alicia laughed, extremely amused by Mark's presumed cluelessness.

"I know!" Mark exclaimed with fake despair. "Why didn't she take yours?"

Alicia continued to laugh hysterically. "She's too big for mine."

"Silly Daddy," Meredith added to Alicia's answer, laughing. Mark shot her a glare. Meredith bit her lip, fighting back the laugh.

Despite his grumpiness from earlier, Mark seemed to lighten up a little. He chuckled as he sipped from his coffee.

"Will you be sleeping with me again tonight?" Alicia asked Meredith.

"Again?" Mark asked, looking confusingly at Meredith.

"I had promised I would sleep with her," Meredith said in her defense. "You wouldn't have even known if she hasn't mentioned it. I don't know, Ally. Maybe I should sleep to my house tonight."

"Why?" she asked, confused.

"Because it's not nice to abuse of your father's hospitality," Meredith answered, grinning teasingly at Mark.

"Can I sleep at your house tonight? You have a very pretty house, Meri," Alicia complimented her. "She has a very pretty house, Daddy," she also informed her father.

"You can't let your fishes sleep alone here, Ally," Mark replied, giving them an answer about the place where Meredith would sleep that night.

Alicia pouted, unhappy with the answer, but then she sighed resigned. She would get two fishes after all.

Meredith had been surprised by Mark's answer, so the rest of the breakfast continued in a bright mood for all three of them.

--

"I have to go now," Meredith said as she returned in kitchen after a quick shower.

"What?" Alicia asked, panicked. "Why?" Though he hadn't shown it as obvious as Alicia did, Mark didn't look impassive either to Meredith's announcement.

"You have to go to the hospital?" he asked her.

"No. I have to stop by my house and change the clothes. I could meet you to the pet store," she said.

The atmosphere became relaxed again around as they heard her answer.

"I'll pick you up," he muttered, trying not to make it sound as something important for him.

"Will you make sure you'll take me home afterwards?" she asked him.

Mark looked up and just nodded. He hadn't promised he would do it.

--

"Chocolate chips, crackers, peanut butter, potato chips," Mark was throwing each item on table. "You sure know how to do groceries," he said as he grinned sarcastically at Meredith.

Alicia had her jaw in her hands as she was staring mesmerized at the two golden fishes that were swimming inside their new home, while Mark and Meredith were in the kitchen area, stocking the fridge. Alicia was so in love with her fishes that she didn't even bother to take off her shoes and her jacket and she was even ignoring the tiff between her best friend and her Daddy.

"Don't ask me to do it next time," Meredith groaned at his constant complaint about her groceries. "Besides, you were there with us. You could have said no to whatever we put in the cart."

Mark let out a defeated growl as he admitted she was right. "Ok, Ally, we're ready to go to the park now," he announced as he walked into the living room.

"Now?" she startled and looked at him slightly panicked.

"Don't you want to go?" he asked her as he saw her reaction.

"I do, I do!" she said quickly and jumped off the chair. At the bottom of the table where Meredith and Mark had installed the aquarium was a bag with the food they had bought for the fishes. Alicia took the opened box and struggled to climb up on chair again.

"You gave them enough food, A!" Mark groaned as he saw Alicia pouring more food into the water.

"They're hungry, Daddy," she said innocently while almost half of the box poured into the water.

Mark sighed, rolling his eyes and walked to her, grabbing the box from her hand. "Enough, Al. Now get ready to leave."

"I'm already dressed," Alicia answered innocently as her hands swiftly outlined her body to point out her street clothes. "Silly Daddy," she giggled as she knelt back down on the chair to contemplate more to her new friends.

"Listen to me young lady," Mark snapped at her, irritated by the constant way she was calling him 'silly' lately. Alicia looked up at him questioningly, not scared by her father's moment of parenthood. "You have to stop calling me silly! It's disrespectful!"

"I'm sorry, Daddy," she said sweetly and gave him her sweetest smile.

Mark groaned, rolling his eyes. It was so difficult to put her to respect sometimes. "Do you still want to go to the park?" he asked her as Alicia went back to admiring her fishes.

"You have to change your shirt," she said without looking at him.

"We're leaving in five minutes," he announced, turning to go to his room.

Meredith was leaning against the doorframe, smiling as she had watched the scene between Alicia and Mark. "Silly Daddy," she muttered under her breath, purposely as Mark passed past her.

Mark paused and grabbed her wrist, pulling her after him into his room. "Silly Daddy gave you last night the most amazing moments of your life, so please show some respect," he retorted to her tease.

"You're overestimating yourself," Meredith leaned against the wall and watched as Mark shrugged out his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt.

"Am I?" he looked back at her, raising suggestively a brow. He threw the shirt on bed and purposely rubbed his chest as he turned to look in his closet. He smiled as he saw through mirror how her eyes were lingering over his body. Mark looked back at her as if he was waiting for her answer.

Her cheeks flushed discreetly and she looked away. "You are," she took a deep breath as she tried not to show him any interest.

Mark chuckled quietly at her reaction and took one of the shirts off its hanger. "You should talk to Alicia about the respect she has to show to the grown-ups. I know you two are friends, but you should put her to respect each time she crosses the line."

Meredith looked at him suspiciously. Was he asking her to… "Are you asking me to educate your daughter?" she asked him in a stunned amusement. "Is this about the fact that she calls you constantly Silly Daddy?"

Was that was he doing? Mark hadn't realized that until Meredith pointed it out. He rolled his eyes in sign of indifference and put on his shirt.

"Until no long time ago, I wasn't even allowed to say 'hi' to her and now you want me to take care of her education?" Meredith was too surprised by his words to let it drop so easily, though Mark showed an obvious expression that he no longer wanted to talk about that.

How could he do something so stupid? How could he ruin the fantasy?

"I'm this close…" he muttered, gritting his teeth as he fought not to burst. "Just give up and forget what I said."

Meredith understood then what he was going to do if she wouldn't stop. "I can't understand you, Mark," she said softly as she turned around and grabbed the doorknob.

"Don't bother," he muttered and Meredith walked outside the bedroom. He let out a frustrated sighed. He couldn't understand himself either.

Mark grabbed his jacket and followed Meredith outside.

"Meredith and Derek," Alicia announced proudly from the chair she was still standing.

"What?" Meredith asked her and walked to her.

"I named them Meredith and Derek," Alicia smiled proudly at her fishes.

"You did?" Meredith laughed. "How do you know which one is a girl and which one is a boy?" she asked.

"She is the girl," Alicia pointed to one of the fishes.

"Is she? How do you know?" Meredith asked, extremely amused by Alicia's imagination.

"Because she is the prettiest," Alicia smiled sweetly at Meredith.

Meredith cupped her face and dropped a kiss on her forehead as gratitude. "Let's go to the park now," she said, holding out her hand.

"Ok," Alicia took her hand and hoped down from the chair. "Goodbye, Meredith and Derek," she waved to her fishes and followed Meredith to the door.

"Meredith and Derek, huh?" Mark held the door open for them, trying to sound amused and cheerful, though he was checking Meredith worryingly.

Meredith could feel that and she was calmer now that she knew he was fighting against whatever urges he had to send her out of his life after she had pushed the limits of his fragile patience.

Alicia ran to the elevator and pressed the button to call it. "Yes," she answered, smiling up to her father.

"You're not very inventive, sweetie," he chuckled teasingly, while the elevator got to their floor.

"What's that inventive?" she frowned as she presumed that it was something bad.

"Inventive means to invent something," he answered.

"But I can't invent anything, Daddy," she giggled. "I'm too little," she justified.

Meredith couldn't help but giggle. "What he means to say is that you should come up with something original," she explained while Alicia listened carefully. "For example, Meredith and Derek as names for your fishes are not very original, because you already know people with these names."

"But I don't know how to name them," Alicia sighed disappointedly.

"Try some fish names like… like Nemo," Meredith suggested.

"That's very original, Meredith," Mark laughed teasingly, keeping his smile as Meredith smiled at him. "Keep Meredith and Derek as names for your fishes until you come up with something better, ok?" he smiled at Alicia.

"Ok," she agreed sighing as if the hardest job was now lying on her shoulders.

--

Considering that it was end of September, the weather was perfect for a Sunday spent in the park. There were still puddles from the last night's rain, but it didn't seem to bother anyone as children and grown-ups were enjoying the sunny weather.

"Swings!" Alicia squealed with thrill as they got to the playground. "I want to go to the swings!" she exclaimed looking excitedly at Mark and Meredith.

"Go," Meredith smiled at her as she let off her hand so that she could run.

"Come with me, Meri!" Alicia shouted as she was struggling to climb up in a swing. "Daddy will push us," she said, smiling at them from her swing.

"These are swings for little children, Ally," Meredith giggled as she reached to her side. "I'm too big for them."

"Let's go to the big children swings," Alicia replied quickly and jumped down from her swing. "Come," she took Meredith's hand and ran ahead towards the bigger swings, pulling Meredith after her. "You sit here," she said holding one of the swings. "And I'll sit here," she went to take the swing next to Meredith. "Help me up, please," she held up her arms so that Meredith can pick her up.

Meredith put her in her swing and then she took her seat.

In all this time, Mark walked slowly behind them, watching with content Alicia's thrill of being in the park. He had been ignored until Alicia required his services of pushing her and Meredith, though Meredith was already swinging herself.

"Push me hard, ok?" she smiled sweetly at him as he came behind her read to push her.

"I can't push you hard, because you might get hurt," he told her.

"I won't," she cried out, looking back at him with pleading eyes. "Please, Daddy!"

"No," he smiled at her and gave her a first light push. "Hold tight," he said and Alicia's hands gripped the bars as Mark started pushing her harder.

"Go help Meri too," she asked him.

That would be the first time for Mark and Meredith to talk since their small fight at home. Neither of them wanted to spoil the day, so they both gave in.

Mark came behind Meredith and pulled her swing to back. "Buckle your knees under," he told her.

"Don't push me hard," she scowled at him.

"You can push her, Daddy," Alicia giggled. "She's big. She won't fall."

Meredith didn't have time to glare at Alicia because Mark pushed her swing ahead; pushing it harder each time it went back to him.

"Slow down, Mark!" She yelled as she closed her eyes tightly. But her shouts and Alicia's laugh made Mark push her harder, sending her upper in the air. "Stop it!" Meredith cried out, still unable to open her eyes.

Mark gave her a few more pushes before he decided to slow it down so that they could both breathe.

"Was it fun, Meri?" Alicia asked her, giggling.

Meredith felt her head spinning and nausea about to hit her. She cradled her head in her hands for a moment, before she stood up slowly. Her knees were weak, as her whole body felt. "I need to … lie down," she muttered, stumbling on her way to the nearest bench.

"See what happens if you want to be pushed harder?" Mark asked Alicia, as they both were watching how Meredith reached to a bench and crawled as she lay down on it.

"Uh-huh," Alicia replied quietly, worried of what she had seen at Meredith.

The nausea faded slowly after she lay down, but through the closed eyes, she could still feel her brain spinning. She drew a deep breath and exhaled slowly as she tried to relax, gently rubbing her forehead and temples. A warm touch caressed her cheek and Meredith opened her eyes slowly to see Alicia bent over her, smiling sympathetically.

"Are you sick?" she asked her quietly.

"I'm better now," Meredith smiled weakly at her.

"Look what you've done," Alicia frowned as she looked reproachfully at Mark.

"She's going to make it," Mark rolled his eyes, but smiling wickedly at Meredith.

Meredith hissed and closed back her eyes.

"Go play. I'll watch her," Mark told Alicia. Meredith's eyes popped wide open as she heard him.

Alicia smiled as she caressed Meredith's head and leaned in to drop a kiss on her forehead. "I'll be at the slide," she told her in a soothing voice.

"Ok," Meredith giggled at Alicia's sweet care for her.

Alicia ran to play to the slide while Mark lifted Meredith's legs and laid them onto his lap as he stood down. "I'm sorry for this," Mark chuckled. "But you have to admit it was fun."

"Only for you and Alicia," Meredith growled, closing her eyes.

"That's right," Mark chuckled. "Don't you think you're a little too old to cry because someone pushed your swing harder?" he asked her mockingly.

Meredith hit him with her leg as answer to his mockery. She opened her eyes and struggled to stand upright, moving her legs from Mark's lap.

Mark caught her attention as he cleared his throat and glanced at her from the corner of his eyes as if he wanted to say something. She just stared at him, waiting.

"Are we ok again?" he asked.

Meredith raised her brows though she knew what he was talking about. She knew he wouldn't apologize or want to talk about that. It was a happy day for Ally, so Meredith nodded in response. "We are."

"Good," he nodded and turned to look over the place where Alicia was playing.

Meredith followed his gaze and they watched together how Alicia was making new friends beside the slide.

"I want one too," she muttered, smiling as Alicia looked into her direction and smiled at her.

"Be careful what you wish for," Mark sighed. He looked at her as he felt her glare. "It's not just about feeding, bathing and tucking them in to bed. It's more than that," he muttered, watching his little girl.

"I think I've already figured that," she giggled. She had spent enough time around Mark and Alicia.

Mark smiled at her and then shook his head disapprovingly as he looked back at Alicia. Then they saw Alicia staring ravenously at a boy who's eating a chocolate ice cream. Meredith and Mark smiled as they guessed Alicia's intention.

Alicia came running to them and stopped in front of her father, smiling sheepishly at him. "Can I have an ice cream?"

"How about lunch?" he asked her. "It's almost lunch time."

"I'll eat lunch, I promise," she said quickly.

Mark looked her with a parental attitude, purposely to tease her a little. "Fine," he smiled.

"Yay!" Alicia squealed, jumping up and down. "Let's go now. I know where it is," she said, grabbing his hand quickly.

"You know she won't after," Meredith warned him in whisper.

"You can't know that," he frowned, looking at her. "Besides, I'm craving for a chocolate ice cream too," his frown turned into smug smirk.

Meredith rolled her eyes and followed the family to the ice cream cart.

"Hello, mister," Alicia said to the man who was selling the ice cream. "We want ice cream."

In the meantime, Mark took out his wallet and pulled out a bill. "Which one do you want?" he asked Alicia first.

"No, no," Alicia pulled his hand down. "I want to buy it."

Mark was confused at first, but then he thought she wanted to give the money to the vendor. But as he bent to pick her up, he saw her looking trough her small purse and taking out her little puffy pink wallet. "Do you want to pay for it?" he asked her, amused.

"Yes. I have money too," she smiled proudly at each of them. "How much?" she suddenly looked confused at them.

"Three ice creams, 2 dollars and 25 cents," the vendor, a man in his early 50s, smiled amusingly at Mark.

"I have, I have," Alicia said quickly as she started choosing coins from her wallet.

"Do you want me to help you?" Meredith offered and Alicia agreed with relief. Meredith knelt at her level and looked in Alicia's wallet. Her wallet with full of quarters, dimes and 5 cents coins. "One coin of this kind…" she said as she took out a quarter. "And then we look for others like this one." She finally took the right amount of coins and put them in Alicia's palm.

Mark picked up Alicia so that she could reach up over the counter and pay for their ice creams. "Ice cream for everyone," she told him, the amount of coins from her tiny hand falling down on counter. "I want strawberry and my Daddy wants chocolate. What do you want, Meri?" she asked, looking at Meredith.

"Strawberry too," Meredith smiled at her.

Alicia giggled, happy to have the same taste in ice cream as her and then she smiled sweetly at the vendor.

"I think you gave me too much money, sweetie," the vendor put aside 5 quarters, the price for her ice cream. Alicia smiled excitedly as the vendor put the coins back in her hand.

Mark put Alicia down then and discreetly took out a bill to pay for hers too, but the vendor shook his head, refusing to receive them. Mark crammed the bill in his pocket, unpleased with Alicia's businesses.

"Now he thinks I can't afford to pay for her ice cream," he muttered under his breath after they took their ice creams and went to sit down on a bench and eat.

"He thinks you have a very sweet girl," Meredith laughed as she overheard his discontent.

Of course, later that day, at lunchtime, Alicia didn't want to eat her food, so after a short stop by the restaurant, Mark drove them back home. By the time they arrived home, Alicia had fallen asleep already, so Mark had to carry her to her bed.

Mark chuckled quietly as he walked back into the living room and saw Meredith sleeping soundly on the couch. "She more active during the night than she is during the day," he chuckled quietly and walked to her. He leaned over her and scooped her slowly on his arms.

Meredith stirred awake as Mark brought her on his arms. "I fell asleep," she muttered sleepily.

"I suppose you did," Mark smiled as he turned to carry her to his room.

"I should leave, Mark," she said, struggling to climb down from his arms, but Mark stayed firm and didn't let her go.

"I can't drive you home now," he said, ignoring her struggles as he carried her to his room.

He put her down in the middle of the bed and then he lay on top of her. "Sleep well," he brushed his lips against hers before he stood up.

"Are you coming too?" she asked him, biting her lip as she smiled suggestively at him.

"How about your sleep?" he chuckled, but he started unbuttoning his shirt.

"What about my sleep?" she asked him teasingly. "I'll just lay here… sleeping," she pulled the blankets away, kicked off her shoes and slid between sheets, lying on her stomach as she hugged a pillow.

Mark took off his shirt and dismissed the pants too, before he got in bed beside Meredith. He lay on his stomach, how Meredith had done and growled in his mind as he saw she was going to sleep for real. He also couldn't hold back a smile as he watched her drifting to sleep. He closed his eyes and drifted to sleep too.


	21. In the morning

**N/A: New chapter! Tomorrow I'm leaving again, this time for a week and a half... going on a real vacation, hopefully with great waves and tons of sun for a great tan. :)**

**Chapter 21 – In the morning**

_Three weeks later… in the morning_

It was 6 o'clock in the morning when the alarm blared, making Mark stir. Sleepily, he hit the snooze button and then let his head crash back into the pillow.

15 minutes later the alarm blared again. This time, Mark growled loudly and refusing to open his eyes, he looked for the clock to stop it. He let out a moan of satisfaction as the silence fell over his room again. It was one of those rainy mornings, when all he wanted was just to lay in bed. It was also one of the mornings without Meredith, so he and Alicia were back to their hectic routine.

Another 15 minutes later, his phone started ringing. He had precisely left it on a chair across the room so that would force him to get up and go turn it off. Mark threw the blanket off him and rubbed his face with both hands, before he stood up slowly from the bed. After he stopped the alarm from his phone, Mark trailed towards the bathroom. He showered and then got dressed before going to wake Alicia up.

Mark opened the door slowly and peeked inside, hoping he would find her awake. Unfortunately for him, Meredith hadn't slept over their apartment, so Alicia was still sleeping. Mark sighed disappointedly and walked inside, heading quietly to her bed. He sat down at the edge of the bed and shook her gently.

Alicia was sleeping in the middle of her big bed with Lolo and Bambi by her side. Meredith had decided to let Bambi go, so her old stuffed rabbit was now sleeping with Alicia and Lolo each night. Alicia moaned in protest when her father shook her. She rolled onto her stomach, throwing her arm over her two toys and turning her back on her father.

"Alicia, it's getting late so wake up," Mark said softly, but struggling to keep his patience.

"No," Alicia whimpered sleepily.

"Please, Al!" Mark shook her a little harder this time.

Alicia let out another whimper and refused to wake up.

"Al!" Mark continued shaking her.

Her face rubbed against her pillow as she gave him another refuse. It was late and he still had to get her ready for kindergarten and feed her, so Mark decided not to beg her anymore. He stood up and threw the blanket off her. Alicia shivered and snuggled with Lolo and Bambi.

Mark groaned as he saw she wasn't going to listen to him so he leaned down and scooped her up onto his arms.

"I don't want to wake up now," Alicia muttered sleepily.

"Me neither, but we have to get ready," Mark said and Alicia snuggled to his chest, sticking her thumb in her mouth and sucking it.

She continued to sleep while her father carried her to the bathroom. Mark put her in her sit on the counter and turned on the cold water. From the moment she left her father's warm arms, Alicia opened her eyes and started yawning as she was now starting to wake up. Mark splashed some cold water in her face, washing it carefully, while Alicia was fighting against his hands.

"I want to go to bed," Alicia cried.

"I know, but you have to go to the kindergarten and I have to go the hospital," Mark tried to convince her.

"You go and I'll stay," Alicia suggested, pouting.

"Let's not argue, Ally," Mark said, barely keeping a light tone of his voice. He picked her up and put her down on her feet. "We have to brush your hair now," he said, reaching to take her by the hand. As he did that, Alicia hid her hand to back refusing to go with him. Still calm, Mark picked her up and carried her outside.

"I don't want to go!" Alicia continued complaining.

Mark ignored her and took her into her room. As he put her down on bed, Alicia crawled to her pillows and clutched on one.

"Get back here," Mark grabbed her ankles and pulled her down, dragging her together with her pillow. "Silly girl," he chuckled at the unequal fight they were having.

"Stupid Daddy!" That wasn't one of Alicia's best mornings so her Daddy's temper took over. She threw a fist at him angrily, barely touching him, and then she tried to crawl back to the other side of the bed.

Mark caught her and restrained her before she could move. He picked her up and placed her in her sit. "Listen to me, young lady! Watch your tone when you talk to me. I slept fewer hours than you and you don't see me crying or calling people stupid."

Alicia froze as her father raised his voice at her and looked as if she had stopped from breathing while he talked. She exhaled and looked down, this time upset. "You called me silly," she muttered in her own defense.

Mark smiled, shaking his head. "I'm sorry I called you silly," he said softly.

Alicia looked up at him from under her brows and muttered. "I'm sorry I called you stupid."

"You're forgiven," he smiled. Mark knelt at her level and held her legs between his hands as he looked into her eyes. "This is our schedule, Al. We wake up early every morning and then we get ready for the kindergarten and for work. You have rehearsal today for the Christmas play, don't you?" he asked her. Alicia nodded slowly. "If you ditch the rehearsal then you can lose the role in the play and you don't want that, do you?" he asked. Alicia shook her head. "Then we should hurry," Mark concluded. Though she didn't look happy, Alicia agreed. "Before we proceed with the dressing," he stopped her when she wanted to stand up. "Tell me a thing," he looked at her curiously. "Why do you always wake up earlier than usual when Meredith sleeps over?" he asked her.

"Because she snores," Alicia answered, muttering.

"She does, doesn't she?" Mark laughed.

Alicia just nodded. "And sometimes you play with her and you both laugh loudly," she added. Now she was sounding annoyed.

The smile froze on his face as he heard that. "We're not playing," he muttered. "We talk in our sleep," he lied.

Alicia looked at him rather skeptical. She was little, but her judgment was developing and his explanation wasn't standing.

"Let's get ready," he said as he stood up. He checked his watch and sigh. "We'll ask Mrs. Kendrick to give you something to eat because we don't have time."

"Why?" Alicia frowned. "I'm hungry, Daddy."

"Are you? I thought you were sleepy," he replied sarcastically.

"I'm just a little sleepy now. I'm very hungry," she said painfully. She climbed down from the bed and ran to her closet.

"What do you want to wear?" he asked her as they both looked at the shelves.

"I want a dress," Alicia answered promptly.

"You can't wear a dress today because it's cold and raining outside," he said.

"I want to wear a dress," Alicia stated. "Meri says that girls have to wear dresses."

"Does Meri wear dresses?" Mark asked her knowingly. "Besides the times when we go out to eat?" he added.

Alicia thought about it for a moment and then she shook her head. "See? Stop believing everything she tells you. Take this sweater and this pair of jeans," he says, handing her a pink soft sweater and a pair of blue jeans.

Alicia made a grimace as she looked at those clothes and then up at him. "Hey, your grandma bought them because you liked them, so don't make faces," he warned her and gave her the clothes. "Do you need help to dress?" he asked her. Alicia shook her head. "I'll help you anyway," he said as he saw how she was trailing to her bed. "I really need to get to the hospital early today," he muttered under her breath.

"Why?" She asked him curiously while her father unbuttoned her pajama.

"Do you remember when I told you that I work with teams of doctors?" Alicia nodded slowly at his question. "Then I want to get there in time and make sure that I get the best doctors. We have to save many people there, don't we?"

Alicia nodded again. "Take Meredith," she suggested.

Mark chuckled and knelt in front of her to help her put on the jeans. "That's why I have to hurry. What if somebody else takes her?" Alicia gasped panicked and shook her head terrified.

"You have to hurry," she whispered gravely.

"I know," Mark copied her tone mockingly.

"I'm still hungry, Daddy," Alicia whimpered when her father picked her up and put her down from the bed.

"We'll take some biscuits and you can eat in the car," he said, preparing her backpack. "Do you need anything in particular today?" he asked her, referring at the stuff she might need for that day.

"No," Alicia answered and ran out of the bedroom.

Mark gave one more look around her room and then followed her outside, carrying her backpack. "Put your shoes on!" he shouted while he went to take a snack for her to eat in the car. He grabbed the first thing that caught his eyes and hurried to leave. As he walked into the living room, Mark saw Alicia knelt in a chair beside the table where her fishes were, talking with them. "Al, we don't have time," he groaned.

"I have to feed them," she said, suddenly standing up with their box of food.

Mark sighed and started tapping nervously his foot. "Don't give them so much food!" he groaned as he saw her pouring a big amount of food into the aquarium. "They'll die from obesity."

"What's that?" she asked him curiously while she put the box down and stared for another moment at them.

"No time to explain now. Remember Meredith?" He asked her.

"Yes," Alicia nodded, adopting again a grave attitude. She climbed down the chair and ran to her father.

"You didn't put your shoes on," he noticed. He looked around and took the first pair of snickers that came into his view.

"These are red, Daddy," Alicia whined.

"So?" Mark asked, irritated.

"They don't match," Alicia whined.

"Says who?" Mark picked her up and placed her on a chair.

"Isabella," she answered, shaking her feet so that her father couldn't put the shoes on.

Mark caught her feet firmly with his hands and glared at her. "I don't know who's this Isabella and I don't care. You're going to wear these today," he said, while he stuck her foot in a shoe.

Alicia sighed and folded her arms across her chest, pouting. "You didn't brush my hair," she muttered.

Mark jerked his head up to her and growled; blond tresses of her hair were raveled and messy, especially at their tips as Alicia had slept with her hair free. "Stay here," he said and hurried into her room. He returned in a second with her hairbrush. "Let's hurry with this, ok?" he said, sticking the hairbrush into her hair. Alicia gasped to the pain. "Do not complain," he warned her. Mark tried to make the hairbrush ran down to the tips, but he could not get it pass by middle. "I'm going to cut your hair," he muttered nervously.

"No!" Alicia shouted, pulling her head from his hands and folded her arms over her head for protection.

"Not now because I don't have time," Mark chuckled. "Now let me finish," he struggled to unfold her arms. "Al!" he snickered as she refused to listen. "You know what," Mark took a step back, backing out from his fight with her hair. "You can go like this," he said.

Alicia gasped, opening her eyes wide with horror. "You have to brush my hair," she whimpered.

"Mrs. Kendrick can do it," Mark said firmly and without listening to her protests, he put the hairbrush inside her backpack.

"They're going to laugh of me," her eyes were now tearing as she looked up at him.

"They won't, because if we leave now, then you'll get there before them, so Mrs. Kendrick will have time to brush your hair. Alicia sighed resignedly and Mark knew they were finally ready to leave.


	22. Who's the mommy

**Chapter 22 – Who's the Mommy?**

"Dr. Bailey!" Mark shouted and sprinted towards the nurses' station where he saw her.

Dr. Bailey either hadn't heard him or she was ignoring him, because she didn't flinch an inch when Mark called her name.

"Dr. Bailey!" Mark shouted, now closer to her, and now he was sure she was ignoring him. "Dr. Bailey," he greeted her smiling as he finally reached to her.

"Dr. Sloan," she looked up at him waiting.

"I see I have Karev this week… again," he said with displeasure. "Aren't we supposed to help the residents find the best field for them?" he asked her.

"We are," Dr. Bailey propped her hand on her hip as she turned to stare at him.

"Then why is Karev under my service for the second week in a row?" he asked her.

"Because Dr. Grey has already made a decision over what field she wants to follow," she answered, smiling knowingly at his frustrated look.

"I'm not talking about Dr. Grey here," he hissed, glaring at her. Dr. Bailey gave him a knowing look. "Residents are like… little children. They need to see more things so that they can make a decision in the end," he added, slightly intimidated by the amusement from Dr. Bailey's features.

"Dr. Sloan," she smiled at him. "I appreciate the fact that you're trying to cheer up my morning, but seriously, that isn't necessary."

Mark stared at her, thoughtful. He wasn't going to give up that easily. "Dr. Bailey," he cleared his throat, adopting a bossing attitude. "Is there a reason you don't want to give Dr. Grey a chance?"

"There is, actually," she said. "I don't want you to use her as nanny or whatever she is to you in her free time."

He knew people were talking about him and Meredith, but now it was the first time when someone was saying it to his face and so he was reduced to silence.

"Dr. Sloan, I know my job and I know the rules of this hospital. You can have Meredith this week in Plastics because she hasn't spent the required time in this field yet, but please stop asking for her. If you continue to do it, then I'll be forced to report it to the Chief. Have a nice day, Dr. Sloan," she said as turned around and walked away.

Mark shrugged, not very affected by Dr. Bailey's lecture since he got what he wanted. He then went to find Meredith.

Mark found her down in the clinic, explaining something to her interns. He smiled to himself as he saw her and headed towards her.

"What are you doing here, Grey?" he asked her with fake displeasure.

"Dr. Sloan," Meredith turned to look at him, surprised to see him there. "I'm working," she said.

"Bailey assigned you to me this week," he said, turning to leave. He glanced back over his shoulder, gesturing with his head to follow him.

"You gotta be kidding me," she muttered under her breath, glaring at him. Then she felt the curious stares of her interns. "What are you still standing here?" she spat at them and the group dispersed.

Meredith hurried then to catch up with Mark. "I can't believe you did it again," she said angrily as she kept the pace with him. "Dr. Bailey has assigned me to the clinic this week."

"Maybe, but now she has changed her mind," Mark shrugged with indifference.

"You have to stop doing it, Mark," she warned him and Mark could easily see in her eyes that she was angry with him. "I don't need favors. Actually… this isn't even a favor," she laughed shortly with sarcasm. "Because I have no interest in Plastics."

Mark continued to look ahead as they headed towards the elevators, now keeping an uptight expression on his face due to Meredith's lecture.

"Oh and the rule is still standing," she whispered after they stopped in front of the elevator. "My pants are staying on at work."

"You and your rules," he rolled his eyes, a little more cheered up.

"Shut up," she hissed and stepped inside the elevator. Mark followed her and pressed the button for the surgical floor.

"How's Alicia?" she asked him, after the doors closed and they were alone.

Mark looked at her, suspiciously arching his brows. The way she put the question made him think that it had a certain purpose. "She's fine," he frowned.

"How fine?" she asked him.

"She's very fine," he retorted.

"Ok," Meredith shrugged and turned facing the doors.

"What is it?" he asked her, irritated, because it was obvious that she knew something and that she wanted to mention it.

"I received a phone call from Mrs. Kendrick a few minutes ago," she said, glancing at him for his reaction.

Mark was now looking away, frowning. "I didn't know you two were friends," he muttered.

"We're not. This is the first phone call I got from her," she said defensively.

"What did she want?" he asked, still looking away.

"She wanted to talk to me about how Alicia showed up today at kindergarten," she said.

"You shouldn't have encouraged her to continue with her lie about you, being you know…," Mark completed by rolling his eyes, referring of course to Alicia's lie about Meredith being her mommy.

"It didn't bother me that she called me," Meredith replied quickly. "It bothered me what she told me about Alicia. You didn't feed her and you didn't even arrange her hair?" she furrowed her brows reproachfully, looking as any mother figure would.

"She had some cookies to eat in the car," he said defensively.

"That's why she was having a stomachache," she retorted.

Mark rolled his eyes at her expression and folded his arms across his chest while glaring at the doors. "It took me forever to wake her up," he muttered. "I have to do something about her hair. Oh, and let's not forget about the wake up call she has to give those fishes every morning. Today she remembered she had to give them food precisely when we were about to leave," he continued, muttering more to himself than to her.

Meredith had to bite her lip to hide her amusement.

Mark looked at her then, glaring. "And who is this Isabella?" he asked her.

Meredith shrugged clueless. "It's not her fault. You're the grown-up. You're the one in charge with her schedule. If you can't respect yours how can you expect her to respect hers? And you should be proud of her to see her being so responsible with the fishes. This means she is ready to receive a kitten and then…"

"Don't," Mark winced, raising his hand for her to stop. "Do not bring up the topic about kitten again. I hope she has forgotten about it."

"I'm going to buy her one if you won't," she was serious in her warning.

"You wouldn't dare," he glared at her.

"Try me," she retorted firmly. "We promised her that she would get a kitten when her grandma would come. When is she coming, by the way?"

Mark stared at her, thoughtful for a moment. His fun was due to end once his mother would arrive.

"Mark," she called his name when he was late to answer.

"Yeah," he snapped back to reality. "Oh… my mom. This week," he said.

"That's soon," she muttered and looked like she was having the same thoughts as Mark. She sighed discreetly, hiding her new worry. She and Mark had made a conclusion regarding her friendship with Alicia, but she wasn't going to bring her private life into the walls of the hospital.

No sex, no seeing Alicia? It was her new question.

"You need to wake up early from now," she tried to shake off that question and brought back Mark's hectic morning schedule for him and his daughter.

"I do wake up early, but I can't wake her up early. I don't snore, you know," he snickered as he remembered what Alicia had said about Meredith.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she retorted, suddenly offended.

"Nothing," he laughed, rolling his eyes teasingly.

"I do not snore," she muttered. "But you do," she glared at him.

"I do not," it was now Mark's turn to feel offended.

"Yes, you do," she retorted.

"No, I don't," he retorted back.

"Yes, you do," she said back.

"I don't," he muttered.

"You do," she muttered, still determined to pay back for his offense regarding her presumed snore.

"I don't," he hissed.

Meredith was about to retort when the elevator stopped. The doors opened and two doctors and few nurses walked inside. Mark and Meredith made a step back and continued their disagreement through glares.

The next stop was on their floor, so they stepped out together. "What time are you getting off today?" he asked her while they headed to the nurses' station.

"At 6; why?" she asked.

"Can you pick up Alicia from kindergarten?"

Meredith stared at him for a moment, still glaring after their taunt about each other's snore. "I suppose I can," she answered indifferently.

"I have a broken nose to fix. Are you interested in assisting me?" he asked her.

"No," she answered simply.

"He's in room 2436. Update his chart and run the pre op test," he told her, throwing a chart in her arms. He smiled smugly at her and walked away before she could retort.

**--**

Meredith was coming out of the scrub room after her surgery with Mark, when Cristina and Izzie caught her in the hall, on their way to the cafeteria. They bought their food and went to find a free table.

They talked mostly about their patients from that day, until the main gossip came into the topic.

"Evil Spawn is pretty pissed off because of you," Izzie said casually.

Meredith threw the leftovers from her sandwich onto the tray and leaned back in her chair. "I knew this would bring me on the front page of the hospital's tabloid," she muttered, unhappy.

"You don't have to feel bad about this," Izzie said, encouraging. "It's not like you've asked to work with him and besides, Bailey agreed to do it and she wouldn't have done it if she didn't think it was right."

"I suppose," Meredith grumbled. "But yet, how do they know about me and… him?" she asked, looking curiously at Izzie.

"Meredith, they have ears. We all have ears," Izzie said. "You're the only woman from this hospital who receives respect from his side."

"Besides this, you've started showing up together mostly every morning lately," Cristina added.

"How many nights have you spent at home in the last month?" Izzie asked her.

Meredith was left speechless for a moment. She knew she had become very familiar with Mark's apartment, but she had hoped that people wouldn't notice it. "I decided to help him with Alicia. She reminds me of me when I was her age and I kind of feel sorry for her."

"You don't like talking about your childhood or remembering it," Izzie pointed out knowingly.

"Has she started to call you 'mommy' already?" Cristina asked her with slight sarcasm.

"No," Meredith frowned nervously. "And I am not…" she stopped as she remembered something. Alicia's lie and the support she had received from her and Mark. Though people were talking about her affair with Mark, nobody besides her friends knew about how close she was to his family and only they could see them together as family.

"Whatever the reasons are, you've started showing maternal instincts and you seem to be enjoying them a lot," Cristina answered to her silence.

"I do not," Meredith muttered, nipping a cracker.

Cristina and Izzie shared a knowing look as answer to Meredith's answer.

"I do not," Meredith muttered under her breath, looking away from her friends.

"We don't judge you," Izzie said cheerfully. "I like Ally and I think she is the sweetest girl I ever met. It's very nice that a person like _you_ tries to help her."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Meredith frowned offended.

"Well… for a person who doesn't like people, it a huge step towards taming," Izzie replied.

"I can interact with people," Meredith spat, glaring at her friends, who were both smiling knowingly.

"Now you can," Izzie giggled.

"Why are we even having this discussion?" Meredith asked, her frown persisting on her forehead.

"We just wanted an update," Cristina shrugged as she answered nonchalantly.

"That's right," Izzie nodded in agreement.

"Happy with the results?" Meredith asked them sarcastically.

"Partially," Cristina made a grimace as she answered. "I don't like the motherly side of you, but I am happy to see that you keep on living in denial because that means you haven't changed completely."

"I'm not entirely happy either," Meredith groaned at Izzie's statement. "Answer me this one question," she asked.

"Make it fast," Meredith grumbled.

"Are you in love with him?" she asked her.

Meredith chocked on the piece of cracker she was eating and started coughing. "Thank you," Izzie told her as she handed her a bottle of water. "Now I'm happy with the results," she said. "I should get back to work now," she said, standing up and picking up her tray.

Meredith took a few gulps of water whilst she cleared her throat. By the time she did that, Izzie had already stood up and left their table. Then she saw Cristina smiling at her.

"I'm not in love with him," she muttered, frowning.

Cristina didn't answer. She just stood up and leaned down to Meredith. "I'm not in love with surgeries either," she whispered amusingly in her ear.

Meredith shot her a glare. Left alone, Meredith became thoughtful. Was she Alicia's mother now? That question haunted her for the rest of the day.

**--**

Sitting alone in the locker room at the end of her shift, Meredith was wondering if it wouldn't be better to go tell Mark that she couldn't pick up Alicia from kindergarten. She loved Alicia and there was no doubt of that, but she wasn't ready for such a big commitment as being someone's mother.

She drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly as she came to a decision. She stood up and went to look for Mark.

Mark was scrubbing his hands for a surgery when Meredith entered the room. "Weren't you supposed to be gone by now?" he frowned as he saw her.

Meredith ignored his attitude and continued to look restless. "Something came up," she muttered as she watched blankly inside the OR.

Mark knew then that something was not right. "You can't pick her up," he concluded.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, looking up at him.

"Ok," he said, a little disquieted by her behavior.

"Ok," Meredith sighed and smiled faintly. "Goodbye," she said awkwardly.

"Bye," he replied in the same manner as he watched her leaving the room. She was backing out.

Mark sighed and turned his gaze out the window. "I guess it was about the time," he muttered under his breath. He sighed again and finished washing his hands.


	23. Take the ferryboat

**Chapter 23 – Take the ferryboat**

Mark entered the classroom, greeted by a group of noisy children, which were singing to their own abilities. He winced discreetly, never being a fan of this kind of scene.

"Daddy!" Alicia's squeal distinguished easily from the group. "My daddy!" she came running to him, jumping in his arms.

"You're cheerful again," he chuckled as he picked her up in his arms. "Not cranky anymore?" he pressed a kiss on her cheek.

"No," she giggled delightfully.

"That's fantastic then, because daddy really needs something cheerful this evening," he muttered. He couldn't help but smile as her blue eyes were watching only him.

She didn't understand his words, but she knew he was tired. Alicia hung from his neck and kissed him lovingly.

"Thank you, angel," he smiled, content from her comfort.

"Meri didn't come?" with that question, she put an end to his comfort.

"No," he answered dryly. "Are you ready to go home?" he asked her.

"Uh-huh," she nodded and leaned down so that her father could put her back on the floor. She ran to her closet and started preparing her backpack.

"Mr. Sloan," Mrs. Kendrick greeted him once Alicia had left his arms.

"Mrs. Kendrick," he nodded simply in response.

"Long day?" she asked him with sympathy, she had probably noticed his tired expression. Mark just nodded, not in the mood for chatting. "I know this isn't at the top of your thoughts right now, but I need to remind you of our Halloween party," she said cautiously. Mark looked at her, barely interested, but nodded. "She will need a costume and from what I've seen lately, she's not very sure of what she will want to dress in. Maybe you should help her make a decision," she suggested.

"We'll have a talk about it," he said, hoping that she would drop the subject.

Luckily, Alicia was ready to go. "Let's go home, Daddy," she said, handing him her jacket to help her put it on.

Mark helped her dress the jacket and put the backpack on her shoulders. "Let's go," he stood up and took her hand. "Goodbye," he said turning to Mrs. Kendrick.

"Goodbye, Mr. Sloan! Bye, Ally!" she walked them out.

"Bye," Alicia waved back cheerfully. "Ms. Caroline said that I am a good dancer," she said to her father.

Mark made a slight grimace. "She lied," he smiled as he saw the frown on her forehead. "She should have said you are the best."

Alicia giggled, delighted by her father's compliment and walked along with him until they reached the parking lot.

"Anna said she came with the ferryboat today and she saw seagulls," Alicia informed him while Mark strapped her in. "Can we go with the ferry too?" she asked.

"It's late and it looks like it's going to start raining soon," he answered.

"It's not raining," she whined.

"Yet," he added.

"Please, daddy," she begged him sweetly.

"It's cold outside, Al," he explained.

"I'm not cold," she replied. "Please, Daddy! Please!" she begged him again.

"It will get dark soon and you won't be able to see anything," he told her.

"Please," she begged again, this time almost whimpering.

Mark rolled his eyes, groaning. He got into the car beside her and stared at her for a moment. "Promise you'll eat whatever I will give you tonight?" Alicia nodded firmly. "Promise you won't cry anymore while I brush your hair?" Alicia nodded again. "Promise you are going to sleep with me tonight?" he asked her, but this time, Alicia stared at him confused. "You don't want to sleep with me?" he frowned.

"Uh…" she looked at him, puzzled. "Meri has to work again tonight?" she asked him, sounding disappointed.

Mark let out a sigh. He knew he might get over Meredith without too much trouble, but Alicia would be very disappointed. "Yes," he answered quietly. He brushed her cheek with the back of his hand, smiling encouragingly as he saw her disappointment. "Let's go to the ferries," he said, in an attempt to cheer her up a little.

Alicia smiled faintly as she nodded, but Mark could see she was still upset. He got out the car and went to the driver's seat.

The sun had already set and the wind was blowing cold, when the ferry moved away from the dock. Alicia nestled into Mark's arms, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head on his shoulder, while they both looked out onto the water. The wind blew stronger and Alicia hid her face in the curve of her father's neck.

"Are you cold?" Mark asked her, rubbing her back to warm her up.

"No," she looked up at him with a brave smile, but then hung tighter on his neck, while Mark continued to warm her up by rubbing her back.

He knew she was cold, but he didn't want to spoil her fun of riding on the ferryboat. She hadn't had too many chances of entertainment since they moved to Seattle, besides her kindergarten activities and their few walks in the park with Meredith.

"I can't see any birds," she muttered, looking over the water.

"I told you so," he muttered back. Then Alicia turned to look at him with a frown. "But we can see the city lights," he said, to lighten her up a little bit.

Alicia leaned over his arms to look back further and see the little spots of light. "They look like stars," she gasped in amazement.

"Yes, they do," Mark said, following her gaze.

"Where do we live?" she asked, watching the city lights with interest.

"We can't see our building from here," Mark chuckled.

"What if we fall into the water?" Alicia leaned down now to watch the water, asking fearfully.

"We won't," he said reassuringly.

"I can't swim," Alicia looked at him, worried.

"I can, but we won't fall into the water," Mark smiled at her, brushing the hair out of her face.

"But I can't," she whimpered.

Mark looked at her, confused now. "Do you want to take swimming lessons?" he asked her.

Alicia nodded firmly. "Meri can swim," she explained and Mark understood now why they were having the discussion about swimming.

That gave him an idea. "Al, what would you say if you moved to L.A.?" he asked her.

Alicia stared at him, confused. "Where?"

"Los Angeles," he said smiling, "That's in California. It's a sunny place, where we could buy a house with a swimming pool."

"No rain?" she asked him in amazement.

"No rain," he assured.

Alicia's blue eyes opened widely as she stared at him. "I want to go there," she agreed firmly.

"Do you?" he asked her, surprised, though he knew she would now ask about Meredith.

And he was right.

Alicia became worried suddenly. "Meri will come?" she asked.

Mark smiled sympathetically and shook his head. "She has a job here," he explained.

"You have a job here too," Alicia pouted, folding her arms across her chest and glaring at him. The idea of leaving the rainy Seattle was no longer exciting for her.

Mark sighed and glared out over the water, without replying. He could still feel Alicia's glare, but he didn't want to face it. Meredith had backed out and she wasn't going to return. Mark knew the best thing for him and for his daughter was to move somewhere else, instead of letting Alicia believe that Meredith would continue to be part of their life.

"I don't want to move," Alicia muttered, pouted.

"Let's talk about this later… or maybe tomorrow," Mark suggested, not wanting a bad evening to accompany his bad day.

"I don't want to move," Alicia repeated, more nervous as she hadn't received any assurance from her father.

"Ok, we won't," Mark muttered. _'we won't right away'_ he added to himself.

Alicia looked at him, checking his sincerity carefully, and relaxed in his arms again as Mark smiled at her. _"She would have to comply,"_ he thought.

After their little disagreement, both of them seemed too tired to talk. Alicia put her head on his shoulder again, wrapping her arms around his neck, while Mark held her tighter in his arms for warmth.

Mark refused to think of anything, so instead he stared blankly over the water, whilst Alicia's eyes were wandering up to the sky.

"A star!" she exclaimed excitedly, pointing up with her finger.

Mark started a little because of Alicia's sudden burst of excitement. He followed her finger and looked up on the sky. There was indeed a star in the cloudy sky. "There's another one," he said, pointing into another direction. Alicia looked amazed as if she hadn't seen stars for a long time… which was actually true, considering that all the nights she had spent in Seattle so far had been cloudy and rainy.

Continuing to watch the sky, they slowly started finding other stars as the sky became clearer.

"It's pretty," Alicia stated, whilst smiling at her father.

"It is," Mark smiled back. Then he saw Alicia leaning over and smiling at someone beside him.

He turned to look at his right and see a tall woman, probably in her late 30's, brunette and carrying a wide smile on her face.

"You don't get to see stars in Seattle very often," that woman said, smiling at Mark.

"Go and count the stars with someone else," Mark replied bitterly, glaring at her.

"You have no manners," the woman frowned, offended.

"Oh," Mark retorted sarcastically. "And you have?"

The woman was now glaring at him, even more offended. "I didn't answer you rudely."

"I didn't interfere rudely either," Mark hissed and turned his back on her. He could hear her walking away.

He then saw the reproach in Alicia's eyes. "What?" he asked her.

"That wasn't nice, Daddy," she scolded very maturely. "Grandma says that a boy can't yell at a girl."

"Not even when a girl is being rude like that woman was?" he asked, tilting his head towards the place where the nosy woman had been.

"No," Alicia answered, shaking her head firmly.

"So… girls are always right?" he asked.

"Yes," Alicia nodded.

Mark rolled his eyes, irritated; but as he met his daughter's glare again, he couldn't help but smile. "We've become a feminist already," he chuckled.

Alicia shook her head as answer to his statement. "I'm still a young lady," she said. "I'm still little."

Mark laughed and pressed a warm kiss to her cold cheek. His daughter's arms strangled him with love.

"Grandma says you are a bad boy," she stated, giggled.

"Is that what she said?" Mark gasped, faking.

"Uh-huh," Alicia nodded.

"Do you think I am a bad boy too?" he asked her.

Alicia nodded again, smiling. "Yes."

"What should we do in this case?" he asked her, acting confused.

Alicia giggled with happiness. "I should eat more candies than you."

"But you already eat more than me," Mark frowned.

Alicia giggled again, which made Mark laugh.

"You have to be punished," she told him.

"Ok. Find me a punishment," he suggested.

Alicia put a finger under her chin and looked up the sky, thoughtful. "You can't drive the car," she said.

"I can't?" Mark frowned. Alicia nodded smugly. "Then who is going to take you to kindergarten, to the park and to other places you want to go?"

"Meri!" Alicia squealed, delighted by the punishment she had given to her father.

Mark wasn't surprised by her answer anymore. He scooped her on his arms and let her head fall back. Alicia started laughing hysterically while her father tickled her stomach with his face. Mark flipped her up in his arms again and both laughed together.

"Do it again, Daddy!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"Am I still punished?" he asked her.

"Yes," Alicia nodded firmly.

"Then no more fun for you," Mark pouted and looked away. As he looked to the end of the deck, Mark noticed a woman turning her head quickly as their eyes almost met. He recognized her immediately.

"Silly Daddy," Alicia laughed, hugging him. But Mark was too anxious to pay attention to Alicia's teasing. He just wrapped his arms tightly around her and kissed her.

"Do you want to go inside to the warmth?" he asked her, carefully, glancing over his shoulder, to check on the woman he had seen.

"Yes," Alicia agreed gladly.

--

N/A: I hope you enjoyed the short father/daughter moment! Any guess on who's that woman? Please review!!


	24. Reason to stay

**Chapter 24 – Reason to stay**

Mark glanced over his shoulder whilst he walked along the deck to take Alicia inside, into the warmth.

She was still there, turned in the opposite direction from them. She knew they were there, but she was ignoring them. Mark sighed discreetly and kissed his daughter. "There's a falling star," he said, pointing out to the sky. Alicia's head followed his fingers direction instantly.

"Wow!" she squealed, delighted. With that, Mark managed to keep her attention focused on one thing only.

"Make a wish," he said.

"Really? Can I?" she asked him excitedly.

"Sure you can," Mark winked.

"Hmm," Alicia put a finger under her chin and became thoughtful.

In that moment, Mark heard his phone fall out of his jacket pocket.

"Done!" Alicia announced, almost making her father jump.

"Great," he laughed.

Mark put Alicia down, stepping in front of her to shield her from any unwanted meetings. He crouched down and picked up his phone, tossing it back into his pocket.

"I want to see another one," Alicia said before starting to spin around, watching the sky.

"It's cold outside so we have to go inside," Mark told her, tucking the jacket around him.

"I am not cold," Alicia whimpered.

"Seconds ago you were, so let's not argue," Mark said. "Come," he held out his hand for her.

"No," Alicia whimpered, hiding her hands behind her back. "I want to see another falling star."

"Al," Mark tried to keep his voice calm.

"Catch me," Alicia said and suddenly she took off running.

Mark didn't follow her. He knew she was going to see her as Alicia was running towards her.

"Catch me, Daddy!" Alicia shouted cheerfully as she continued to run. Then she tripped and landed on her knees and hands. "Ouch," she muttered.

Mark still didn't go after her. He watched how Meredith turned and hurried to Alicia.

"Are you alright?" she asked the girl, kneeling down beside her.

"Meri!" Alicia squealed. She stood up quickly and threw her arms around her neck. "My Meri!"

Meredith hugged her and couldn't help but giggle.

"I made a wish," Alicia took a step back to look up at Meredith.

"You did?" Meredith smiled, trying to sound impressed.

"Uh-huh," Alicia nodded, smiling widely. "And it came true."

"It did?" Meredith laughed, with the same fake impressed voice.

"Yes," Alicia giggled. "I wished that all the patients would get well and you would come and sleep with me tonight."

Meredith smiled as she caressed her cheek. She hadn't planned on meeting them on the ferry at this hour, but apparently, Alicia had made a wish that had come true.

Meredith looked over Alicia's shoulder and saw Mark glaring out over the water. She knew what he was thinking and he was right. It seemed easier to back out when they were just the two of them, but now, with Alicia's sweet presence, that seemed impossible.

"Did you ask your father's permission to have me sleeping with you tonight?" Meredith asked her and looked up at Mark.

He glanced at her, there eyes met for a second, and then he looked away.

"No," Alicia answered genuinely and looked confused at the two grown-ups. To have Meredith sleeping in her daddy's apartment was already a natural thing and she couldn't understand why she still needed his permission. "But you can," she muttered, this time less sure of herself.

Meredith looked at Mark again, but his eyes were still staring at the water. _'Confusing'_ that's what she thought about his attitude. She knew he was pissed off at her because of her decision, yet he hadn't thrown a tantrum at Alicia's invitation, not like he would have done weeks ago. This was her chance to ask for more from him.

"I will sleep with you tonight," she said to Alicia and then she looked up at Mark, looking for his reaction. He was stone still.

Alicia smiled and threw herself into Meredith's arms. She gave her a kiss and then stepped back from her arms. "Come, Daddy!" she shouted to her father, waving. "Meri is here!" she announced.

Only at Alicia's call did Mark turn and look at them, his eyes locked with Meredith's. He walked towards them slowly.

Meredith stirred as Mark came closer and looked away towards Ally. "Sweetheart, aren't you cold? Where is your hat?" she asked, suddenly noticing Alicia's blonde strands.

"In my backpack," Alicia giggled.

"And why is it in your backpack and not on your head?" she asked in concerned tone. Alicia giggled, shrugging. "Turn around so I can get your hat," she said, spinning her around. "I know it's not raining, but it's still too cold for her, Mark," Meredith scowled at him as she unzipped Alicia's backpack.

Mark didn't reply and continue to look at her with an uptight expression on his face, while Meredith fumbled through Alicia's things and took out a pink cap. She zipped it back up and turned Alicia to her, fixing the cap on her head.

"You can't walk in and out whenever you want to," Mark said quietly.

Meredith looked up at him, frowning. "We're not a couple," she replied.

"We're not," was his straight answer. "But I am her father and I can't let you play with her feelings."

Meredith smiled as sign of satisfaction with the topic he had brought up. "I haven't done that," she answered, standing up and letting Alicia lean against her.

"Yet," he added.

"Never," she replied, sharper this time. "I will continue to be her friend no matter how much of a jerk you are."

"Excuse me?" Mark laughed bitterly.

"Let me say this clearly," she shook her head. "I'm expecting from you more than you are willing to give me and you have no idea how frustrating that is. I didn't become attached to only Alicia," she looked away as she said that, not having the courage to watch his reaction. "As long as you don't give me any reasons to stay permanently, you have no right to criticize me."

Mark was staring at her dumbfounded. He surely hadn't expected to that, so he had no reply for her.

Alicia listened to them, confused. They weren't exactly arguing, yet there was something in their words that alarmed her and made her realize that something wasn't right. She took Meredith's hand and pressed her cold cheek against it.

Meredith cupped her cheek, caressing it gently as she smiled down at Alicia. They looked into each other's eyes, smiling and waiting for Mark's answer. Meredith leaned down and picked her up in her arms. "I can take care of her whenever you need me too and whenever I have time, of course. I can also sleep over, but that's it," she said, looking at Mark. "Nothing more. Not as long as you don't give me a reason to stay."

"Alicia loves you," Mark mumbled.

"And I love her too, but Mark," Meredith laughed bitterly. "You're so st…" she paused, smiling at Alicia and then at Mark. "You're so 'silly'," she replied mockingly, quoting Alicia. "Haven't you heard a word from what I said? There's no need to give me reasons to be Alicia's friend. I need the tiniest reason to stay… your friend."

Alicia wriggled in Meredith's arms as she reached out to Mark. "Daddy," she called for him in whisper.

Mark took her from Meredith, stirring as he touched Meredith's hand. "What is it?" he asked his daughter, his eyes on Meredith.

Alicia leaned to his ear and shielded her lips from Meredith. "Tell her she's pretty," she whispered, loud enough for Meredith to hear her.

Meredith and Mark smiled at Alicia's simple advice.

"If that would be this simple," Mark chuckled and pressed a kiss onto her cheek.

"It is simple," Alicia contradicted him. "Tell her, 'Meri, you are very pretty'. It's simple, see?"

Mark smiled at Meredith, but Meredith shook her head. That wasn't enough, although it was very nice.

"What do you want me tell you?" Mark groaned, tired of the conversation they were having.

"Mark," Meredith sighed. "I don't want you to propose or declare your eternal love to me. I just need… something. I don't know… the … the tiniest reason. I don't want to be… your whore."

"Hey!" Mark protested, tilting his head towards Alicia, who was listening carefully to their conversation.

"What?" Meredith shrugged. "She doesn't know what that means. Do you know what that means?" she asked Alicia.

Alicia shook her head. "I don't know. What is 'whore'?" she asked them.

Mark glared at Meredith.

"You are going to find out when you grow up," Meredith answered.

"Why can't I find out now?" Alicia asked curiously.

"Because it means a bad thing and children shouldn't know about them." Meredith answered.

Alicia frowned as she turned and scowled to her father. "Don't say bad things about her."

Mark listened to their talk and as Alicia was scowled him, he took Meredith's hand. He took a step towards her, leaving no space between them. His hand freed hers and lowered down to her waist, pulling her body to his. His hand then traveled up to her neck and then higher to her cheek.

Meredith felt her heart racing as she felt his warm lips coming closer to hers, his breath brushing against her mouth.

Their lips met and Mark kissed her softly, while she surrendered to his gesture, leaning slowly against his chest.

As their lips parted, they looked into each other's eyes, his hand caressing her cheek.

"Enough?" he asked her softly.

"Enough," Alicia giggled.

Meredith and Mark looked at Alicia, who had witnessed their kiss and was now looking uncomfortably between them.

"Ok, enough then," Meredith giggled as well, smiling at Mark.

Alicia had one arm wrapped around Mark's neck and the other one wrapped around Meredith's neck. She leaned to her father first and kissed him on the cheek and then she leaned down to Meredith and kissed her too. "I love you," she told them, smiling sheepishly.

"We love you too," Meredith kissed her back.

Alicia giggled delighted with their moment and put her head down on Mark's shoulder, but still holding onto Meredith.

For the moment, that was enough for all of them and Alicia had her reasons to be happy.

"Are you sleepy?" Meredith asked her, rubbing her back slowly.

Alicia raised her head and shook her head. She put her hand to her mouth and unsuccessfully tried to hide a yawn.

"I think it would be better if we go inside," Meredith suggested and Mark agreed, nodding.

"No," Alicia whimpered.

"It's too cold for you to stay outside, Al," Mark said.

"I am not cold," Alicia answered. "I want to see another falling star," she whimpered as she threw her head to back and looked up on the sky. But then she frowned as she realized that clouds had covered the sky again. "Meri?" she looked down at Meredith. "Come with Daddy and me to uh… to L and A."

"Where?" Meredith laughed, confused.

Alicia looked for help from her father, but he was as puzzled as Meredith was.

"To that place where it is hot and where I can learn how to swim," Alicia explained the best way she could. "To L and A."

"That's LA, Los Angeles," Mark chuckled as he understood what she was talking about.

"Do you want to go there?" Meredith asked her.

"Yes," she nodded. "Me, Daddy and you. We can go and live there, because there it doesn't rain."

Meredith frowned as she looked at Mark. "Are you planning on moving?" she asked him.

"No," Mark shook his head. "I told you we can't move there because both, Meredith and I have jobs here," he said to his daughter.

Alicia stared at him, confused. He was the one who suggested to move some place else. She shrugged, not understanding much and put her head down on Mark's shoulder again. "I am cold," she finally admitted.

"Let's go inside," Mark said and put a hand on Meredith's back as he started walking towards the entrance.

"Daddy?" Alicia looked at him.

"What is it?"

"I am sorry but I can't sleep with you tonight," she said apologetically. "I am going to sleep with Meri, but you can sleep with us if you want to, because my bed is big."

"Ok," Mark chuckled. "Maybe I'll let you sleep in the car," he teased.

"No," Alicia giggled. "Because I don't have Lolo and Bambi with me."

"I'll bring them to you," he answered.

"No," she continued giggling. She knew he was teasing her.

"Why not?" he asked her.

"Because no," she answered simply and put her head down on his shoulder.

"And why not?" he continued.

Mark and Meredith smiled at each other as they heard her sighing.

"Daddy?" Alicia asked quietly, this time without looking at him.

"Yes,"

"You're annoying," she whimpered.

"Now I am annoying?" Mark laughed, scooping her in his arms, which made Alicia laugh hysterically. "I thought I was grounded."

"You're grounded too," she laughed. "Because Meri can drive now."

"What?" Meredith asked, looking at them confused.

"You haven't heard everything we talked about?" Mark asked sarcastically.

"I didn't know you were here until I heard you arguing with that woman," she rolled her eyes.

"That wasn't nice of him," Alicia cut in.

"Exactly," Meredith approved her.

"And he is grounded," Alicia informed her.

"Bad boy, Mark," Meredith giggled teasingly.

"Yeah," Alicia laughed. "I told him so."

"Oh shut up," Mark growled. Alicia and Meredith laughed with satisfaction.

--

N/A: I hope you liked it! :)


	25. Together

**Chapter 25 – Together**

Meredith pulled her car behind Mark's shortly after he pulled in front of his apartment building.

"Is she sleeping?" Meredith asked quietly, coming towards Mark's car and seeing him taking the girl slowly out of the car.

"Yeah," he nodded, wrapping her legs around his waist and settling her head on his shoulder.

Mark handed Meredith his jacket so that she could cover the girl and protect her from the rain. Alicia didn't even stir with all the work that the grown-ups were doing for her.

Both of them hurried inside the building, where the door attendant greeted them, holding the door opened for them. "Good evening, Ms. Grey, Dr. Sloan," the old man saluted politely.

"Hi," Meredith was the only one who answered to his salute.

"You should be nicer to your neighbors," Meredith whispered to Mark as they reached the elevator.

"First of all, he's not my neighbor; he is just an employee," Mark replied. "And secondly… whatever."

Meredith shook her head disapprovingly, while Mark chuckled quietly. They got to their floor and Meredith unlocked the door, opened it for Mark to walk inside first and take Alicia to bed.

Meredith growled as she flicked on the lights and met the mess that Mark and his daughter had made during their time alone.

"What?" Mark asked in whisper, looking back at her.

"Nothing," she smiled. "But you might need a maid," she stated.

"Why? Don't I have you?" he smiled teasingly.

"Ha-ha," she laughed sarcastically and followed him into Alicia's room.

"She didn't even have dinner," Mark muttered as he put the girl carefully down in her bed.

"You're underestimating my intelligence again," Meredith whispered as she sat down at the edge of the bed. "It's an expensive kindergarten so they serve dinner at 6 o'clock to all the children who are still there at that hour. I thought you knew that."

"I knew," he hissed.

Meredith giggled quietly. "Maybe you should go there more often and learn more about the environment that she spends her days in."

"Thanks, but again… that's why I have you," he smiled teasingly.

Meredith smiled, rolling her eyes. "I am going to go take a shower now."

"I will be right there," Mark flashed her a wicked smile.

"Not a chance," she whispered from the doorway and walked out quickly, closing the door as she saw him begin to stand up from Alicia's bed.

Mark stood up but gave up quickly as he hadn't settled Alicia into her bed.

"Where did she go?" Alicia mumbled sleepily right when Mark went to pick her up and take her out of her jacket.

"Who?" Mark asked, helping her to stand up.

"Meri," Alicia rubbed her eyes and looked around the dark room, worried. "Where did she go?"

"She went to take a shower," he answered, undressing her. Alicia looked up at with distrust. "Wait for her to get into the shower and then you will hear the water."

Alicia listened carefully. Indeed, a moment later she heard the water in the bathroom. She sighed with relief and looked at her father. "I have to put on my pajamas."

"Here they are," he said, finding the pajamas between her pillows. "Put them on," he told her.

"Where are you going?" she asked him as she saw him turning towards the door. "Help me," she whimpered.

"Al, you're a big girl now. You can dress yourself."

"But I am sleepy," she pouted.

"And spoiled," Mark groaned as he returned to her bed.

"You can't sleep with me anymore," Alicia grumbled, nervous.

"Why?"

"Because I don't like you that much right now," she glared at him.

"I don't like you that much either right now," he replied and pulled the sweater over her head.

Mark helped her put on her pajamas and prepared the sheets for her. Alicia jumped on his neck, laughing and strangling him with her short arms. "I like you now, Daddy," she giggled cheerfully.

Mark grabbed her by her waist and scooped her up in his arms, kissing her tummy. "I like you too now."

Alicia laughed, delighted. She whimpered when Mark put her down on her pillow. "No," she cried out.

"You were sleeping earlier, Al," Mark said calmly, trying to get her to lay her down on her bed and cover her with the blanket. But Alicia started wriggling her legs, laughing as she saw the stress on her father's face. "Alicia!" he shouted, nervous.

Alicia smiled, not scared by his shout. "I don't want to sleep."

"Well, I want you to sleep, so go to sleep," he demanded, in a calmer tone this time.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because I say so," Mark answered. Alicia had stopped wriggling her legs, so he drew the blanket over her.

"Why?" Alicia laughed as she pushed down the blanket with her legs.

Mark took a deep breath and sighed slowly. "Because I have some work to do."

"You're going to the hospital?" Alicia asked, her good mood disappearing instantly.

"No," he smiled. "I have some work to do with Meredith."

"I want to help," she said and stood up quickly, but her father's hands stopped her halfway.

"You can't," he said.

"Yes, I can," she answered convincingly. "What do you have to do?" she asked.

Mark couldn't help but laugh. "You don't want to know," he said.

"Yes, I do," Alicia frowned as saw that her father was too stubborn and wouldn't let her help. She managed to stand up on her feet and run quickly to the edge of the bed.

"Oh no, no," Mark chuckled, catching her when she went to jump off the bed.

"Daddy," Alicia whimpered and laughed at the same time.

Mark had her in his arms again and started rocking her with large movements, laughing at her amusement.

"Stop!!" she begged him, laughing.

Mark stopped and sat down on the bed, bringing Alicia onto his lap. "I'm hungry," she said, resting her head against his chest.

"Did you eat dinner?" he asked her.

Alicia nodded. "It's an expensive kindergarten, Daddy. They give us dinner too," she explained, smiling.

Mark's eyes widened in amazement. He slowly narrowed his eyes and smiled suspiciously at her. "You weren't sleeping, were you?" he asked her as he realized that she had listened to his conversation with Meredith.

Alicia just giggled in response.

"You little cheater," Mark started tickling her tummy, making her laugh hysterically. He stopped then and cradled her in his arms, kissing her head lovingly.

"Daddy," she called for his attention and looked up at him.

"What?" he asked her softly.

"Can I ask Meri to be my mommy?" she asked. Mark smiled pitifully and shook his head. "Why?" she asked, her eyes sad.

Mark stared at her, confused. He didn't know what to answer to that. "Because… because she's your friend," he said, finding a silly explanation.

"I don't want her to be my friend anymore," she answered convincingly.

"She can't be your mommy, because we … we have to get married first," Mark tried another explanation.

Alicia's face lightened up. "I want you to get married. We can go buy her a pretty ring and a white dress, very pretty and sparkly, and then we can buy a pretty dress for me in… pink. And then we can call grandma and we can have a big party… and then… and then she will be my mommy."

"That sounds like a good plan, Al, but first we have to… we have to love each other," he said.

"But you love Meri and Meri loves you," Alicia explained, sounding wise.

"You don't know that," Mark smiled.

"I will ask her if she loves you. Do you love her?" Alicia asked him.

"I like her, but… sweetie you can't love someone so quickly. You have to know her first."

"But I love Meri already," she said. "And I know her. You know her too. Her name is Meredith and she works with you at the hospital. She helps sick people."

"You know the answers to everything," Mark chuckled. He pressed a kiss to her temple and rubbed his face against her head, breathing in the sweet scent of her hair. "We have to wait a little longer, ok?" Alicia looked at him sadly. "Just wait, please," Mark said softly, kissing her again.

"Daddy," she said, now curious. "Babies come from their mommies' tummies, right?" she asked him.

Mark was speechless. He didn't like their new topic. "Yes," he managed to mumble.

"Whose tummy was I in?" she asked him.

Mark sighed, closing his eyes briefly. "Your mommy's," he muttered. As he looked at her, he saw her puzzled look. "Sometimes mommies or daddies don't stay with their babies."

"Why?"

"Because they are bad people," he answered.

"So my mommy is bad?" Alicia gasped, shocked.

Mark let out a sigh. He looked at the door, hoping that Meredith would enter and they could change the topic. Unfortunately, the water was still on in the bathroom.

"You don't have a mommy, because she left when you were very little. Normally a mommy has to stay and take care of her baby?" he explained.

"Why did she go? Was I a bad baby?"

"No," Mark frowned, displeased. "You were the best baby in the whole wide world."

"Was I ugly?" she asked him.

"No," he shook his head. "You were the prettiest baby and you still are the prettiest little girl," he cupped her face between his hands and kissed her on the forehead. "She was just very stupid."

"Where is she now?" she asked him.

"I don't know. She disappeared." He answered.

Alicia gasped, terrified. "She was kidnapped by an alien?"

Mark laughed at her question. "No. She ran away and she's probably hiding now because she is too ashamed of her silliness."

Alicia smiled slightly and cuddled deeper into her father's arms. Mark felt her sighing. He hated to see her upset because of that woman and now that she was he began to hate her even more.

"Meredith and I are taking things slowly," he said, caressing her forehead. Alicia gave him a puzzled look. "That means, it might take a while until Meredith will be your mommy," he smiled sympathetically as he saw her disappointment. "But as long as she behaves nicely, you two can spend a lot of time together."

"She is very nice to me," Alicia assured him.

"I know," he smiled.

"Is she your girlfriend?" she asked him.

Mark thought about it. Was she? "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Yes," Alicia nodded, thrilled to share a secret with her Daddy.

"Promise you won't tell?" he asked her cautiously.

"I promise! I promise!" she squealed excitedly.

Mark drew an imaginary zipper over his lips. He laughed as he saw Alicia's confusion. "That's an imaginary zipper. This means you are going to keep your mouth shut about this secret."

Alicia copied her father's gesture and drew the zipper over her lips.

Mark leaned over to her ear and whispered. "I think Meredith is my girlfriend now."

Alicia giggled and jumped onto his neck, taking his face between her hands, and smiled at him. Mark snapped his teeth, threatening to bite her nose and Alicia laughed with delight. Alicia did the same but the sound she made was lighter and accompanied by a giggle.

"I guess you're no longer sleepy," Mark concluded, slightly disappointed.

Alicia smiled and shook her head mischievously. "I want to watch a DVD, with cartoons," she said.

"At this hour, I don't think so," Mark shook his head disapprovingly.

"Why?" she frowned.

"Because it's late and because you have to sleep," he said.

"But I am not sleepy," Alicia whimpered.

"And it's not that late either," Meredith cut in, as she made her appearance in the doorway.

"Meri!" Alicia squealed and jumped off her father's knees, running to Meredith.

"You're not very helpful," Mark glared at her.

"I know what you're planning, but let me tell you that it's not going to happen… tonight," she retorted.

"And why is that? I thought we were ok now," he frowned.

"We are, but she is the first priority," she said, picking Alicia up in her arms. "You should be more responsible.

"Don't start," he scowled. "I'd like everything to be ok for longer than one hour."

"Ok," she smiled and carried Alicia out of the bedroom. "What do you want to watch?" she asked Alicia.

"Snow White," her answer came promptly.

Mark tarried on the edge of Alicia's bed, displeased with the turn that his plans had taken for the night. He finally stood up and trailed out of the bedroom, going after Ally and Meredith.

He stopped as he entered the living room and watched how Meredith was searching through the DVD shelve, guided by Alicia's directions. He didn't know how long it would last; a few days, until his mother would arrive, or even longer if they could keep it secret; one thing he knew for sure… he was determined to enjoy each of those moments.

"I'm going to take a shower," he told them as he passed them, heading towards the bathroom. "And don't forget to feed your fishes, Ally," he told her.

Alicia gasped and slapped her forehead as punishment for her omission. "Come, Meri!" she grabbed her hand, dragging her after her. "We have to feed Meredith and Derek."

Though the fishes were already old members of Sloan family, Alicia still hadn't found better names for them and Meredith laughed each time Alicia mentioned her swimmer friends.

"Haven't you found any other names for them?" Meredith asked her.

"Not yet," Alicia answered, climbing up onto the chair. She sat down on the table and poured food into the aquarium. "I like their names," she stated innocently.

"I like their names too," Meredith chuckled and gave up the topic.

--

Mark didn't feel how tired he was until he met the hot, relaxing water. He changed his mind and instead of a shower, he filled the bathtub with steamy water and lay down, drifting to sleep unconsciously.

He stirred and stood up minutes later. He looked around him, confused. Then he realized he had fallen asleep and the water had started getting colder.

Mark listened carefully, trying to hear Alicia or Meredith's voice, but there was no sound coming from the other room. He stepped out of the bathtub and dried himself, putting on a pair of pajamas pants.

Coming into the living room, he found the girls absorbed by the cartoons they were watching, each of them nibbling from a cookie.

"Oh look, that's Snow White," he said, announcing his appearance.

"That's her step mother, Daddy," Alicia corrected him. "And she's evil," she explained. "Drink your milk," she said then, pointing to a full filled glass of milk on the coffee table.

"I don't drink milk, sweetie," he said, ruffling her hair playfully as he sat down beside her.

"Oh you have to," Alicia said gravely. "You have to if you want to grow up and be strong."

"Taller and stronger than I am now?" Mark asked her, amused.

"Yes," she said in a serious tone.

"I don't think Meredith would like that," he laughed.

"I would actually," Meredith laughed teasingly.

Mark frowned at her answer, but then his mood lightened up again. He picked Alicia up and moved beside Meredith, placing Alicia on his lap.

Meredith smiled, surprised by his gesture.

He grabbed the box of cookies from Meredith's hand, and stuck his hand inside after one. "Al!" he groaned displeased. "You ate all the cookies!" he shouted reproachfully. "I don't want to hear you complaining of stomachache again."

"I didn't eat them all," she cried out defensively.

"You didn't? Then who emptied this box?" he glared at her with distrust.

Alicia looked towards Meredith's direction.

"I'll buy you another one," Meredith rolled her eyes and grabbed the box back from Mark.

"You're sick," Mark muttered.

"Probably," Meredith shrugged, watching the TV screen. "I usually don't like this brand of cookies."

"Just don't dirty my toilet later," he said and settled comfortably on the couch, nestling Alicia in his arms.

Meredith repositioned herself on the couch, laying her head on his shoulder. Mark waited for a moment and then put an arm around her.

As soon as the cartoons were over, Alicia jumped down from her father's arms and turned her cheerful smile towards Meredith. "You can sleep with me now," she said.

"I'm going to sleep with you now, but first we have to brush our teeth," Meredith suggested. She put the empty box of cookies in Mark's lap and stood up.

"Thanks but I don't eat empty boxes," Mark answered sarcastically to her gesture.

"Try them," she smiled at him. "I heard they're good for digestion."

"Funny," he smiled ironically.

"I know," she answered in the same manner. She took Alicia's hand then and flashed Mark a smile.

Mark watched them leaving the room, a smile crossing his face as they went out. He turned off the DVD the TV, throwing the remote control beside him on the couch. He laid his head back onto the couch, exhausted. It hadn't been only an exhausting day at work, but also a stressful one because of his questions to due with Meredith. He still wasn't sure if what he was doing was the right thing; actually, he was almost positive that it wasn't. A month ago, he would have dismissed any woman who would have come close to him and his daughter, but Alicia had the chance of meeting Meredith before he did and her friendship with Meredith kept Meredith close to them. The friendship between Meredith and Alicia had grown impressively and it looked like it was deepening. He loved to see his daughter so happy, even if it was with an imaginary mother. This friendship helped Meredith gain some respect from Mark. He had definitely missed having a woman almost each night. Meredith could be the one; all he had to do was to start trusting her.

Then his mother came into his thoughts. If she would meet Meredith, their relationship would start being serious. As he wasn't ready for something serious, he had a bigger problem. What would happen with him and Meredith when his mother would come? Again… he wasn't ready for something serious, but he wasn't ready to let Meredith go either.

Soft lips pressed against his followed by a charming giggle, and his thoughts ended. He opened his eyes and saw Alicia's smile right in front of his face. Meredith was holding her up.

"Look at me, Daddy!" she said excitedly, sitting on her father's lap. She grinned, showing him her teeth. "See? They sparkle."

Mark narrowed his eyes as if in front of a strong light. "Close your eyes! You're blinding me!"

Alicia laughed and climbed off his lap. "Silly Daddy!" she squealed, dancing out the living room.

"I'll talk to her about that," Meredith giggled as she watched the girl leaving.

"Yeah, it wouldn't be bad for you to make yourself useful," Mark smiled teasingly.

"Are you coming to tuck her in?" she asked him.

"In a minute," he said as he stood up. Meredith was right beside when he was back on his feet, inches away. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her to him. His lips crashed against hers and she welcomed his tongue as she deepened the kiss.

Heated by the kiss, her fingers clutched his hair and his hands wandered across her back. Mark pulled back in need for air, taking her face between his hands, he ran his thumb over her lips. "Are you joining me?" he asked her, tilting his head towards his bedroom.

Meredith looked into his eyes for a moment. She was sorely tempted to say yes. "I can't," she muttered and pulled back from his arms. "She wants me to sleep with her."

"She's cuter than me, isn't she?" Mark chuckled.

"Definitely much cuter," Meredith laughed. "Aww," she patted his cheek when he acted offended. "I am sure you got used to the thought," she said and headed towards the door.

When she walked into Alicia's bedroom, Meredith found her sitting on the pillows talking to her stuffed toys.

"Meri?" Alicia asked as she saw Meredith. "Lolo and Bambi want to hear a story."

"Do you want me to read you a story?" she asked, already heading towards the bookcase.

"No, no," she answered quickly. "We want a new one."

"We?" Meredith giggled. "I thought Lolo and Bambi wanted a story." Meredith got into the bed beside her and held up the blanket so that Alicia could slide in.

"I want one too," she giggled and snuggled into Meredith. "Wait," she said and stood up. She took Lolo and put him on the pillow between her and Meredith and then she took Bambi and put him on the pillow beside her. "Lolo says that Bambi kicks him at night," she explained very seriously.

"I see," Meredith couldn't help but giggle at Alicia's innocence. "But you know what… why don't we wait for your daddy to tell you a story? I am very tired and I have a headache."

Alicia gave her a sympathetic smile. She leaned in and kissed her on the forehead. Her gesture impressed Meredith deeply. "We'll wait for Daddy," Alicia assured.

"Ok," Meredith smiled. "Lay here with me now and let's have a serious talk, ok?"

"Yes," Alicia did as Meredith told her to and turned on her side, waiting.

"You have to stop calling your Daddy silly," Meredith said softly. "It's disrespectful to call your parents 'stupid' or 'silly'."

"I respect my Daddy," Alicia said quietly.

Meredith ran her fingers through her hair. "I know you do, but your Daddy is very … sensitive. He gets offended easily if you call him that."

"I didn't mean it," Alicia muttered and looked down regretfully.

"I know and he knows it too," Meredith said softly. "But he is just a little… silly," she said quietly.

Alicia giggled, delighted to hear Meredith saying the same thing about her Daddy.

Meredith leaned in and kissed her on the forehead. "He can be very silly sometimes but you are too little and you can't call him that. You have to respect your father because he is much older than you."

"He's not," Alicia contradicted her. "He's not grandpa."

Meredith laughed. "But he is older than you, isn't he?" she asked her, Alicia nodded in response. "You have to respect people who are older than you."

"Why?" she questioned curiously.

Meredith didn't know what answer to give her. "Because you have to," then she quickly put a finger onto Alicia's lips as she saw her ready to repeat the 'why' question.

"You have to answer all their questions if you want them to learn something," Mark said as he appeared in the doorway appearing to have overheard their talk.

"You answer then," Meredith suggested and rolled onto her back.

Mark wasn't in the mood for explanations. He walked over to Alicia's side of bed and tucked her. "Sleep well, sweetie," he said, kissing her.

"Sleep with us, Daddy!" Alicia suggested.

"Am I allowed to?" he asked her.

"Yes," Alicia shifted closer to Meredith to make room for him.

"What do we do with these?" he asked, taking Bambi from his pillow.

"They sleep here with us," she said.

"And where do I sleep?" he asked.

Alicia slapped her head with an exasperated gesture. "Here," she groaned.

"And where does this rabbit sleep?" he asked her teasingly.

Alicia rolled her eyes. "His name is Bambi and he sleeps here!"

"I got that, but then where do I sleep?" Mark asked her again, muffling his amusement.

Alicia sighed exasperated again. She turned on her side facing Meredith and leaned in to her ear, whispering. "See? He's being silly again."

Meredith laughed and nodded in agreement.

Mark scowled as he heard her. "I thought you were going to talk about that."

"We did," Meredith answered genuinely. "Just get into bed."

"Give me Bambi," Alicia grabbed her rabbit from her father's hand. "He sleeps with us and you sleep with us," she explained one more time.

"Ok, ok," Mark chuckled and slid under covers beside her. "Just tell him not to tickle me with his ears."

"He won't," Alicia assured him laughing. "Say 'night' to Bambi first," she asked as she held Bambi up to him.

"Night, Bambi," Mark muttered, pretending to be sleeping.

"Not like that," she giggled and stood up. "Give him a kiss," she asked and pressed the rabbit's head against his face.

"Al," Mark growled. "I don't want to kiss him."

"Why?" she asked.

"Because we're fighting."

"Make up then," she suggested and pressed Bambi against her father's face.

"Al!" Mark snapped and grabbed the rabbit from her hands, making Alicia start.

"Mark!" Meredith snapped back. "Ally, leave him alone and lay back down," she said.

Alicia sighed resignedly and lay down, cradling Bambi under her arm. She looked at her father and saw he was sleeping. She looked at Meredith and she was watching her smiling; she smiled too. She looked at Lolo and took him. "Do you want to kiss Lolo?" she whispered to her father.

"Ally," Meredith laughed. "He's tired, leave him alone."

Alicia looked at her as she spoke and then looked at her father; then, back to Meredith. "He has to tell us a story," she whispered to Meredith.

"He's tired," Meredith whispered back.

Alicia turned to Mark. "Daddy," she patted his cheek lightly. Mark opened one eye. "You have to tell us a story," she said.

"Do I?" he asked her.

"Mhmm," Alicia nodded.

"Ok," Mark opened his eyes. "What about?" he asked her.

"About princesses," Alicia smiled.

"Ok," Mark agreed. Alicia made herself comfortable in the bed, sitting on her side, with her stuffed animals in her arms and paid attention to her father.

"Once upon a time, there was a beautiful little princess. She was living in a small palace with her Daddy. She was beautiful but very naughty. One night, when her Daddy came to tuck her in, the princess bugged him to tell her a bedtime story. Her Daddy told her the story and then she fell asleep. The end." Mark smiled at her, waiting for her to outburst.

Alicia stared at him for a moment, dumbfounded. "That's not a story," she finally concluded.

"It started with 'Once upon a time', didn't it?" he asked her and Alicia nodded. "Then it was a story,"

"Daddy," Alicia giggled as she realized he was making fun of her.

"Go to sleep, Ally, because I am very tired and I can't think of any stories tonight," Mark told her.

"Ok," she sighed. Alicia turned to Meredith and leaned in to her, "Nighty-night, Meri," she dropped a kiss on her nose.

Meredith kissed her on the nose too. "Good night, Ally."

Alicia turned back to Mark and snuggled into his chest. "Night, Daddy," she finally closed her eyes.

"Good night," Mark kissed the top of her head and rubbed circles onto her back. He reached out for the lamp and turned off the lights.

Mark waited a moment and then shifted closer to the middle of the bed, his knee touching Meredith's. He closed his eyes again and drifted of to sleep.

Alicia had a smile on her face as she slept. That was the first time they slept together.

--

_**N/A: I might be a little late with the next chapter because right now I am focused only on reading Breaking Dawn (which is finally happening). Stick with me and I will be back in a few days with another chapter and some... more of their story. :) **_

_**In the meantime, please review. This will remind me to get back on writing and not starting again the whole Twilight series hee hee!!**_

_**Thank you for all your great support so far,**_

_**Dana**_


	26. The call

_**N/A: I couldn't help it so here's another chapter. I know there aren't too many things happening at the moment, besides the bonding between the three characters, but some action will come soon.**_

_**On another note, my other Mer/Mark fic, Let is change us, is still in progress, I haven't abandoned it. I just have a major writer block and for the past two months I wrote and deleted several times the next chapter. I'll try to focus my attention on it and I hope I'll be able to have something good to post soon. In the meantime, enjoy it with a new chapter for All I want is this.**_

_**Thank you for your reviews and let me know if this story is getting boring or if there's something you don't like about it.**_

--

**Chapter 26 – The call**

Meredith started waking as she felt something tickling her nose. She sleepily opened her eyes to see blonde strands of hair in front of her eyes. Meredith yawned and slowly stretched her body. As the image became clearer, Meredith saw the position Alicia was sleeping in; she was sleeping crosswise over the pillows, having her head towards Meredith and her legs over Mark's chest, but still holding Lolo and Bambi. Meredith smiled as she imagined Alicia stirring just a little and hitting under her father's jaw. Slowly she smoothed her hair to back and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. Alicia moaned sleepily and snuggled her stuffed friends.

Watching her sleep was the most relaxing thing she had ever experienced. Dim light peaked through a crack of the curtains, but Meredith was in no hurry today. She was no longer sleepy either, but she decided to just lay there and spoil herself with the moment. So much had changed her life in just a few weeks. Things she hadn't planned to happen in the near future were now rolling out. She was still confused about the place she had in Mark's plans, but last evening he seemed convincing. She hung her hopes on that kiss.

A muffled growl came from under the blankets. She felt a discomfort in the pit of her stomach and Meredith rubbed intensively over the spot that ached. She rolled onto her back, closing her eyes and breathing slowly to relax and ban out the pain. A deep breath and a slow exhale, but the pain wasn't fading and Meredith knew she should visit the bathroom before it was too late.

Meredith lifted the blanket and slowly slipped out of the bed. She tiptoed towards the door and exited the room in a perfect silence. As the door was closed again, Meredith started running to the bathroom. The door flew open, almost slamming against the wall and Meredith landed in her knees in front of the toilet, already empting her stomach.

As she felt her stomach calming, Meredith raised her head from the toilet. "Oh crap," she muttered under breath. "I shouldn't have eaten all those cookies," she concluded, but as she mentioned the word cookie, she felt her stomach revolting and she was again over in the toilet.

With her face still hovering over the toilet, Meredith felt cold hands in the back of her neck as Mark came behind her and held her hair to back.

"I told you not to dirt my toilet," he grumbled once that Meredith's stomach seemed to be finally empty.

Meredith didn't pay any attention to his comment. She sat down on the floor and let her body rest against his, exhausted. She held her eyes closed for a moment in attempt to relax, and ran the back of her hand over her forehead to wipe the cold sweat.

Mark stood up and let her hold herself steady as he went and wet a cloth with cold water. He returned to the place where Meredith was and wiped her face and neck with it.

Meredith moaned and her body looked for his support as he sat down behind her.

She looked up at him and smiled weakly. "Thanks," she muttered huskily.

"Yeah, yeah," Mark rolled his eyes with sarcasm but then he returned the smile. "I…"

"I know," Meredith cut his words off, wincing. "I'll never eat cookies again," she groaned, resting her against his shoulder. "At least not in this house," she looked up at him and giggled as she saw him rolling her eyes. "Help me up."

Mark stood up and helped Meredith get back on her feet. The effort she had made over the toilet left her exhausted, so Mark had to wrap his arm around her waist when he felt her losing her balance.

It wasn't only weakness in her knees she felt; Meredith also felt her head spinning.

Mark gently patted her back in encouragement. "The cookies were good. You've poisoned yourself by eating the whole box," he snickered.

Meredith furrowed her brows into a glare, but she didn't retort. She walked over to the sink and turned on the cold water. She splashed water over her face, moaning each time the water refreshed her skin.

While Meredith washed her face, Mark fumbled through a drawer. He took out a rectangular box and threw in on the counter beside the sink. "Here."

Meredith looked down at it to see a wrapped toothbrush. She looked back over her shoulder at Mark, confused. "I have one in my bag," she said, frowning a little at his subtle message.

"I know you do," Mark rolled his eyes, acting irritated. He took the toothbrush out of the wrapper and placed into the prop, where his and Alicia's toothbrushes were. "You can use this one if you want while you are here," he said, trying to sound as if he wasn't giving too much importance to his gesture.

Meredith smiled, impressed though. "Thanks," the smile was still playing on her lips as she glanced up at Mark.

Mark chuckled and gently moved Meredith out of his way so that he could wash his face as well.

"Is Ally up?" Meredith asked as she put toothpaste on her new toothbrush.

"No and I am not hurrying to wake her up either," Mark answered. He took the face towel and wiped his face. "I have the day off today."

"I have the day off too," she said. "So who is going to take her to the kindergarten today?"

Mark chuckled. "You're the nanny," he smiled teasingly.

Meredith rolled her eyes and bent over the sink as she brushing her teeth.

"I am going to take her," he said. "You probably have other things to do."

Meredith looked at him from the corner of her eyes and shook her head. She spit part of the toothpaste and took out the toothbrush. "We could…" she hesitated. "Maybe she wants to stay home today," she trailed off and glanced at him for his reaction.

Mark knew what she had in her mind. "With me?" he asked, in addition to her suggestion.

That wasn't what she meant, so his answer gave her no other option for answer. "Yeah," she muttered and continued brushing her teeth.

But Mark knew exactly what she had meant. "What plans do you have for today?" he asked her casually.

Meredith shrugged. She didn't want him to know that her plans had changed seconds ago. He had given her a reason to stay but she didn't want to push her luck too much.

"What plans do you have for this morning then?" Mark asked her as Meredith wiped her mouth. He stepped slowly behind her, his hands on her hips, his face hovering over her shoulder. Slowly he pushed her shirt off her shoulder, his lips now brushing against it.

Meredith felt weak to her knees; this time it wasn't because of the nausea. It was because of the effect his breath had in contact with her skin, heating up her insides and blurring her mind. She turned to his, her arms wounding around his neck, and she jumped on the edge of the sink. Her face lowered to his, her teeth nipping on his bottom lip.

"Mmm," Mark moaned in depth satisfaction with her plans.

Meredith giggled and opened her mouth inviting him for a passionate kiss. His fingers danced across the buttons of her shirt and then he could push it off her body, his hands returning quickly to her soft skin.

"Here?" he asked in breathless whisper. "Or the shower?... Or the bedroom?"

Hung on his neck with her legs wrapped around his waist, Meredith giggled. "Here," she answered and dropped a kiss on his lips. "Then in the bedroom."

Mark laughed and his mouth asked for hers immediately. "Then the shower," he added.

Meredith pulled back from the kiss and shook her head. "Only the bedroom. Alicia might wake up later," and then her tongue traced a line over his lips.

Mark moaned. "You're so concerned about Alicia," he said, his lips capturing hers with hunger, but Meredith couldn't tell from the tone of his voice if that was a remark or just sarcasm. She took his face between her hands and deepened the kiss.

"Better in the bedroom," Mark said as he suddenly broke the kiss and lifted Meredith off the counter.

Meredith connived by nodding her head. She stretched to back for her shirt, a gesture that made Mark protest. "Leave that," he groaned and slapped lightly her hand so that she could drop it.

Meredith frowned and held tighter on the shirt. "What if…"

"Fine," Mark cut her complaint off, already knowing what she would say. "It's just a waste of time," he grumbled.

Meredith rolled her eyes, giggling. "Are you that clumsy?" she asked teasingly.

"Just put it on already," he hissed and as the shirt was back on her shoulders again, Mark scooped her into his arms. "Now keep it quiet if you're so worried about Ally," he suggested and reached out for her lips.

Meredith held his face between her hands, kissing him while Mark carried her out of the bathroom, holding their lips locked together.

In their efforts of staying quiet and not disturb Alicia's sleep, Mark didn't notice the wrong direction he had taken and soon he trapped over a chair, forcing Meredith to grab tighter on his neck. "Shit!" he cursed, wincing, while the chair fell, hitting noisily the ground.

In an instant, Meredith was back on her feet and Mark rubbed on his toe, both waiting for Alicia to wake up and come out of her room. At first, no sound came from her room and the silence continued while they waited.

"And you were so worried," Mark rolled his eyes and grabbed Meredith's hand, rushing her to his bedroom. Mark closed the door and his jaw dropped as he turned and saw Meredith already naked, smiling and biting her lip cheekily. His boxers fell to his ankles and Mark walked out of them as he took a step towards Meredith. He scooped her into his arms again and carried her to his bed, laying her in the middle. Mark took the position on top of her, pressing lightly his body against hers. Meredith wrapped her arms around his neck, reaching out for his lips, and then pushed him off her. She rolled on top of him, mounting him.

"You like to have the control, don't you?" Mark smiled, brushing the hair out of her face as she leaned down to kiss him.

"Mhm," she giggled.

Mark laughed as he rolled over and brought her underneath him. "Not a chance," he raised his brows, smiling smugly.

Her fingers clutched into his hair, pulling his head down to her. "I can boss too," she whispered against his lips.

"Not with me," Mark replied, crashing his mouth against hers in an intense kiss, leaving no place for protest from Meredith's side. His teeth harshly nipped on her bottom lip, almost leaving it bruised.

Meredith moaned, her body arching towards him, her hands still in his hair. She pushed him off her again and in the next second, a loud thud followed as they both reached down on the floor.

"Ouch," Meredith cried out as she landed over him. "This didn't do well to my stomach," she muttered, wincing as she felt her stomach giving her a new nausea sensation.

"You killed me, woman," Mark groaned. "My ribs are touching my spine."

Meredith giggled, making herself comfortable as she laid on top of him. "Cry baby," she teased and kissed him softly on the lips. "This means I am in control now," she giggled.

"You could have asked it nicely if you really wanted it," Mark rolled his eyes, brushing her hair out of her face. "You…" he couldn't find the right words as he spoke. "You drive me crazy."

"Is it bad or good?" she giggled.

Mark reached out and dropped a kiss on her lips. "You don't need to know."

Meredith smiled knowingly. "I think in both ways," she answered for him.

As response, Mark just looked into her eyes and then pulled her head down to him. Meredith kissed him and stood up. "You have dust under your bed," she pointed out, giggling as she walked to the door. She locked to the doorknob and returned to Mark, who was waiting for her on the floor, beside the bed.

--

The light was brighter in her room as the sun had risen on the sky, bringing more light over the city.

Alicia's eyes snapped opened and she started as the loud thud sounded in the next room. Sleepily, she rubbed her eyes and looked around her. "Daddy?" she called out quietly. "Meri?"

Slowly she stood up, continuing to rub her heavy eyes. "Daddy? Meri?" she called out again and looked around the room. She woke up the same position Meredith and Mark had let her sleeping. From the top of the bed, Alicia looked worriedly at the quiet room.

"Mark, stop!" Meredith's laugh caught her attention.

"Meri?" she called louder, crawling to the edge of the bed. She ran to the door and as she opened it, she crossed the hall to her father's room.

Alicia grabbed the doorknob and tried twisting it, but she found it locked. "Daddy?" she called through the door. It was impossible for any of them to hear her as they were both laughing.

Alicia took a resigned step back, her eyes moistening. A quiet sob broke against her chest as she slowly turned and walked back into her room, closing it behind her. She returned to her bed and crawled back to the pillows, sitting over them. A tear slid down her cheek as she carefully took her stuffed dog and her stuffed rabbit. "They don't like me," she muttered to her friends and stronger sob broke. "They play together again… without me," she told them, sniffing. "She's my friend and he's my Daddy but they don't want to sleep and play with me anymore," another tear slid down her cheek and then another and tears started pouring out of her eyes. "We can play together," she said with determination and started tickling her toys, forcing herself to laugh and have her part of fun like the grown-ups were having.

In her innocence, Alicia thought she lost her father's and friend's attention. She didn't know they had slept with her the whole night and she didn't know what kind of fun they were having together at the moment. Alicia knew only she had went to sleep with both of them, dreaming peacefully as she finally felt the warmth of a family, therefore, her disappointment was painful when she woke up all alone and found them locked in another room.

She couldn't force herself to laugh for too long. The more she laughed, the more her eyes watered and her sobs became painful. Alicia hugged her toys tightly to her chest, burying her face in their soft texture. "I want my grandma!" her sob came out muffled. "I miss my grandma!" she cried, cradling her toys stronger. "She loves us!" She continued crying with big tears and loud sobs.

A song coming from another room caught her attention and made her stop. Alicia raised her face from her toys, sniffing and wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand as she listened to the song. She recognized her father's phone. Sobbing, Alicia waited to hear her father picking up the phone. But giggles and moans continued to come from his room and he didn't seem to have heard the phone.

"I'll answer," Alicia said, sobbing, to her toys. She tucked them under arm and crawled to the edge of the bed. As she opened the door, Alicia hesitated before she took the first stop on the hall and glared to her father's door.

The phone kept ringing in the living room. Alicia pulled herself together and hurried to answer the phone.

"Hello," she answered between sobs. "Who are you?" she asked.

"Ally?" the woman's voice asked.

In that instant, her eyes filled with tears and she started crying again. "Grandma! Come to me, grandma. I am alone and I miss you, Grandma!" she cried.

"Alicia, sweetheart, what's happening?" her grandma's voice was filled with worry.

"I miss you so much, grandma. Come to me!" Alicia cried, pouring out her pain.

"Ally, baby, calm down and tell grandma what's wrong?" she asked.

"Come to me," Alicia begged.

"I am, sweetie. In two days I will be there," her grandma assured her with a soft voice. "Now wipe your tears and tell me what's wrong."

"Two days?" Alicia sobbed. "Soon?"

"Soon, sweetie," Crystal said softly. "Don't cry, ok?"

Alicia wiped her face with her toys and nodded. "Ok," she sobbed. "Soon?" she asked again, to be sure.

"Soon, Ally," she answered. "Why are you so upset?" she asked her.

All the crying and all the sobs left her almost breathless. Alicia took a deep breath and sobbed again. "I want to play with Daddy and Meri too," she said.

"What are you talking about?" Crystal asked her, confused. "What made you cry now?"

"Meri," she sobbed. "And Daddy. They didn't want to sleep with me and now… and now they locked to door and left me alone."

Crystal chuckled discreetly. "Tell me, Ally… does Meri sleep a lot with you and Daddy?"

"No," Alicia frowned. "She sleeps with Daddy the most."

"Sweetie," Crystal laughed as she understood how silly her granddaughter's tears were.

Alicia started crying as she heard her grandmother's laugh, misunderstanding it as mockery.

"Ally, listen to me," Crystal said in a more serious tone. "Does Meri sleep every night with Daddy?"

"Almost," Alicia answered. "Sometimes she works at night and sometimes… sometimes Daddy works at night and then I sleep with Meri. I like more when Daddy works at night and not Meri."

"But you know, it's a good thing that your Daddy sleeps with Meri most of the nights," Crystal tried to explain, which, of course, made Alicia frown. Crystal chuckled, guessing the girl's expression. "And you know why that is a good thing?" Alicia shook her head, an answer that Crystal couldn't see, but she knew it. "Because it means that your Daddy likes Meredith very much and you know what this means?" she asked.

"He doesn't love me anymore?" Alicia asked, fearful.

"No, silly" Crystal laughed.

"Don't call me silly!" Alicia retorted. "Daddy's silly!"

"Ally, pay attention," she said cheerfully. "It means that Meredith could become your mommy one day. You remember when I told you how important it was for your father to like a woman and marry her so that you could have a mommy?" Alicia nodded. "And how many women did Daddy bring to sleep with him every night like he does with Meri?"

"None," Alicia answered.

"See? This means that Meri is very special,"

"She is very special and nice," Alicia said quickly. "I like her a lot and my Daddy told me a secret."

"A secret about Meri?" she asked.

"Yes, but I can't tell you because it's a secret," Alicia adopted a serious tone.

"That's ok," Crystal chuckled. "But it's a good secret, right?"

"Uh-huh," Alicia nodded.

"See? This is how mommies and daddies do. They sleep together in the same room. Just sometimes they sleep with their children."

"Why?" Alicia frowned, displeased with her explanation.

"Because this is how grown-ups sleep. This is how they make babies."

"They sleep together and have babies?" Alicia asked, astonished.

"Yes," Crystal giggled.

"But Meri and Daddy sleep together a lot but they don't have any baby," the girl pointed out.

"Ally," Crystal couldn't help but laugh at her little girl's innocence. "You don't have a baby so easily. Sometimes it takes time."

"Oh," Alicia sighed.

"Come on now, cheer up," Crystal encouraged her. "I am sure that if you ask them to sleep with you and play with you, they will accept. Just remember that as long as your father's agrees to have Meri there in your house, Meri will stay with you. If they sleep together, it doesn't mean that they love you less. You know Daddy loves you more than anything in the whole wide world."

"And I love him too," Alicia stated. "And Meri too."

"I know," Crystal smiled. "I know it's not how you imagined it would be with a family, but you'll get used to it."

"Ok, Grandma," she sighed. "I miss you a lot."

"I miss you too and I can't wait to see you."

"Soon," Alicia said.

There was a pause at the other side of the line. "Grandma is getting old, sweetie," Crystal chuckled. "I just remembered that I can't come right away. I wanted too but I still have something to take care of."

"What?" Alicia's eyes widened in horror. "You won't come soon?"

"Well… I will try to make it soon, I promise. But now you have Meri and Daddy," Crystal encouraged her. One thing she knew; her son needed a push and being alone in Seattle with his daughter was a push strong enough for him to start a healthy relationship with a woman like Meredith. She missed her granddaughter terribly, but it was more important for a son to try for a family and somehow she knew that her moving in Seattle might not help that happen. "Derek sends you tones of kisses and asked me to tell you he misses you."

"I miss him too and I kiss him too," she said and started sending many kisses via the phone.

"I told you I heard her voice," Meredith's voice put an end to Alicia's kisses for Derek.

As she turned, Alicia saw Meredith in the doorway and her father coming to her.

"Who are you talking to, Al?" he asked her, holding out his hand for the phone.

Alicia frowned and protected the phone, turning her back on him. "Grandma," she grumbled.

"Let me talk to her," Mark held out his hand, insisting.

"Now I talk to her," Alicia refused.

"That's my phone and I am your father so please don't be disrespectful," Mark tried to keep the tone of his voice calm, not willing to snap at his daughter.

"Ally, put Daddy on the phone," Crystal told her. "I have something important to talk to him about and don't forget… smile, sweetie."

"I love you," Alicia said quietly, with regret and pain. If it wasn't for Meredith, Alicia would feel miserable without the only Mommy she knew.

"I love you too my little angel. I promise I will call later,"

"Ok. Bye," Alicia answered with the same pain in her voice. She turned and handed the phone to her father.

Mark gave her a disapproving look for her previous attitude, but took the phone and let her leave. "Hey, mom," he greeted to his mother.

"Mark Sloan, what the hell is going on it that head of yours?" Crystal snapped at him from the very first second.


	27. Doctors need doctors

_**N/A: Today I woke up determined to write the next chapter for Let it change us, but then when I opened the laptop I found myself writing for this fic again and now I have one more chapter done besides this one. **_

_**I hope this will make you feel better, Madalena :)**_

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**Chapter 27 – Doctors need doctors**

His mother's harsh greeting caught Mark off guard. "I uh… don't know," he answered frankly.

"Mark, I am very happy to see that you're starting involving in a serious relationship. You have no idea how much I've prayed for this to happen; but Mark, don't forget that you're the father of a 4 year-old girl. You have to keep it down with the noise and don't do it while she's awake. That's irresponsible and immoral in the same time," Crystal scolded.

"Mom, I don't know what you are talking about," though he knew very well what Alicia might have told her, "But I'm definitely not neglecting my daughter!" he spat. "And what is with you calling so early, talking about responsibility when you just woke up my daughter?"

"I uh…," it was Crystal's turn to find difficult to answer now. The real reason she had called was that she had planned to book a flight to Seattle and needed to know when Mark would be able to pick her up from the airport. Now that her plans had changed, she needed an excuse for her morning call. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I think the clock is broken."

Mark rolled his eyes with sarcasm. "Like you have just one clock," he grumbled.

"Oh well, mistakes happen and it wasn't me who woke her up," she pointed out. "She's sad, Mark. Meredith is her best friend and you know how much she craves for such a relationship. Allow her to spoil herself for a while," Crystal explained.

"Mom, I don't know what you're talking about," Mark continued to play numb.

"I am sure you're going to figure out soon," she answered. "Anyway, I called to check on how are you doing and tell you that I have to delay my arrival in Seattle."

"You were supposed to be here this week," Mark frowned. "What holds you back now?"

"Mark, I have a life and I don't think I need to give you any explanation. Besides, you seem to do very well with Alicia there. Life seems to be adjusting for the two of you," she said.

"Yeah, whatever," Mark didn't comment more. Life had taken a path that Mark was comfortable with, so there was no reason for the moment to force his mother to move sooner in Seattle.

After she gave the phone to her father, Alicia cradled her toys in her arms as she turned around. She frowned as she met Meredith, her frown lingering over the sheet that Meredith was wearing.

Meredith felt slightly uncomfortable with Alicia's unfriendly look and rearranged the sheet over her body. "Good morning, Ally," she smiled awkwardly.

Alicia continued to look at her with that frown, but then she remembered her grandmother's advice. "Hi," she muttered and turned her head to aside, glancing at Meredith from the corner of her eyes.

As she looked carefully at Alicia, Meredith noticed the tears stained on her cheeks. "Ally," she said worryingly as she came and knelt in front of her. "Have you been crying?" she asked.

Alicia looked away and didn't give any answer.

"Why are you sad?" Meredith asked her softly.

Alicia just glanced at her and shrugged.

"Are you mad at me?" Meredith asked then.

The girl shrugged at first and then she slowly shook her head.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" Meredith insisted, slowly bringing her into her arms.

Alicia trailed her eyes back to Meredith, her beautiful blue eyes tearing. She threw her arms around Meredith's neck and hugged her as strong as she could. "I love you, Meri" she muttered.

Meredith smiled and hugged her tightly. "I love you too, Ally," she said softly and kissed her on the cheek.

Alicia took a step back and looked at her. "You do?" she asked hesitantly.

"Of course I do. How can I not love you? I thought you knew that already," Meredith smiled, looking into her eyes, lovingly brushing the hair out of her face.

"You didn't sleep with me last night," Alicia looked down at her feet as she muttered. "You went to sleep with Daddy again."

Meredith sighed, feeling guilty for the girl's pain. She put a finger under her chin and made her look up at her. "I did sleep with you last night. Both of us slept with you, but this morning, when it was very early, I felt sick and I had to go to the bathroom," Meredith explained and smiled comforting as Alicia adopted a worried look. "Your father came to help me and then we went into his room, because we didn't want to wake you up."

"You were sick?" Alicia asked worryingly, gently caressing Meredith's cheek. "Are you better now?"

"I am better now," Meredith smiled reassuringly.

"You should wear pajamas like me," Alicia suggested and took another step backward to give herself as example. "You get cold if you wear just a sheet and that's why you get sick."

Meredith flushed and briefly closed her eyes as she remembered about her inappropriate clothing. "I… uh… had to change the shirt your father gave me so…. uh… I don't have other pajamas with me."

Alicia listened carefully to Meredith stammer and nodded. "Stay here," she said and ran quickly into her room.

Meredith took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. She smiled as Mark turned and glanced at her, while still talking to his mother. As she stood up, Meredith felt losing her balance, the room seemed to be spinning. She tried to control her breath and regain the stability on her feet, but as the dizziness passed, Meredith felt sick to her stomach again. She ran quickly to the bathroom and knelt in front of the toilet again as she threw up.

Alicia had seen her running past her room, so she came quickly to check on her. She gasped and ran to Meredith's side. "You're sick again?" she asked worryingly.

"I'm fine, don't worry," Meredith muttered and made a gesture to send her away. "Don't stay here. It's not pleasant."

"You're sick," Alicia stated and knelt beside her. "I am going to take care of you," she put aside the pink clothes she had brought from her room and focused her attention on Meredith, caressing gently her hair. "What do you need?" she asked her, ready to offer her any help she could give.

Luckily, the nausea was fading and her stomach was starting to feel better. She sat down, closing her eyes, and tried to compose herself. "I'm good now," she muttered and turned to smile at Alicia, who didn't stop to look at her with pity and worry.

Alicia put her head on Meredith's shoulder and caressed gently her arm, comforting her the better way she knew. She raised her head then and took the clothes she had brought from her room. "You can have these pajamas," she said, handing them to Meredith. "They're too large for me. My Daddy bought them for me but he didn't match the size."

Meredith stared, astonished. "These are for me?"

"Uh-huh," Alicia nodded her head firmly. "Now you have pajamas to wear."

Meredith stroked gently her cheek and leaned in to kiss her on the forehead. "That's very nice of me, but I don't think these pajamas fit me. I need larger ones," she giggled. "But don't worry, because I will buy ones in my size to wear for when I sleep here," she stated.

Alicia shrugged and put away the pajamas. She sat down and let out a sigh as she gave Meredith another worried look. "You're a doctor," she said quietly. "Doctors don't get sick."

Meredith giggled at her cute words. "How do you know that?"

"Because they're doctors," she answered, as if the answer couldn't be more logical than that.

Meredith smiled and shook her head in response. "Doctors get sick too, because they're also people. Sometimes, doctors need doctors too," she explained.

Alicia listened to her and then she took a moment to process the information. Suddenly she got up on her feet and said as she ran out of the bathroom. "I'll go bring a doctor!"

Mark had just finished his talk with Crystal and he was on his way to see what was going on in the bathroom when Alicia met him.

She stopped as she saw him and adopted a serious attitude. "You have to come with me," she said gravely and held out her hand for his.

Mark raised his brows suspicious and took her hand. "Ok," he agreed and let her lead him.

"We have to hurry!" she said, tugging harder on his hand.

"Ok, ok," he conveyed.

When Alicia brought Mark into the bathroom, Meredith was already washing her face with cold water. She saw them there when she looked up in the mirror. "Oh so you're my doctor," she giggled.

Mark let go of Alicia's hand and walked over to her, rubbing gently her back. "You are sick again?" he asked her, noticing her pale look.

"She is," Alicia answered quickly. "I think she's very sick, Daddy," she came to them and looked up at father, with lines of worry crossing her forehead. "Make her well," her voice pleaded.

"I'm fine now," Meredith tried to calm her down and looked at Mark, nodding. "It must have been food poisoning."

"I would rather say, cookie poisoning," Mark glared.

Meredith made a grimace and her head gripped on the abdomen. "Don't mention them," she grumbled.

"Take a shower and see if you feel better," Mark suggested and picked Alicia up in his arms and took a seat down on the toilet.

"Do you want to get in first?" Meredith asked him when she saw him standing there as if he was waiting for something.

Mark shook his head. "No."

Meredith narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "I don't need audience," she said.

"I have to make sure that you won't faint and collapse in the bathtub. I don't need drama in my bathroom," he rolled his eyes.

"Yes," Alicia agreed as she found out her father's idea. "We'll watch you."

"It's not nice to watch naked people when they shower," Meredith giggled.

Alicia stared at her, confused. "But you and Daddy watch me when I am in the shower; and grandma too."

Mark and Meredith smiled.

"We don't watch you then. We wash you," Mark said, pressing his lips against her temple.

Alicia looked at him as he talked and then she struggled to get off his lap. "I'll help you, Meri."

"Don't worry, Ally," Meredith giggled and stepped into the shower. "I can wash myself."

"But I want to help," she said and finally climbed down her father's lap.

Mark's arms caught her before she could run to Meredith and put her back onto his lap. "Let her wash herself. She's shy," he chuckled, smirking at Meredith.

Meredith smiled, rolling her eyes, and slid the glass door.

"I am not shy," Alicia stated. "Is it ok not to be shy?" she asked her father.

"It's ok," he nodded.

In that moment, the glass door opened a little and Meredith sneaked her head out. "It's not ok not to be shy, Mark," she snapped. "What if when she grows up, she becomes a fan of Playboy, or magazines like that?"

"Oh," the rationality hit him then. "It's not ok not to be shy," he changed his answer.

"Ok," she answered, unsure. "I will be shy."

Mark smoothed her hair to back and kissed her. "Don't worry," he chuckled. "Even for me it's confusing."

"Daddy," Alicia giggled, pushing him away.

"What?"

"You are icky," she said, touching his skin with the tip of her finger.

"Well, it's been hot in my room," he stated louder, so that Meredith could hear him too from the shower, which he succeeded because Meredith answered with a laugh.

"It's always hot in your room," Alicia pointed out. "I sleep fine."

"I slept fine too in your room," he said.

Alicia looked back at him as she answered. "But you had to take care of Meri."

"That's right," he chuckled as took her head between his hands and kissed her on the forehead. Then his eyes drifted to the pajamas that Alicia had brought for Meredith. "What are you doing with those?" he asked her, tilting his head towards the floor.

Alicia followed his direction and saw what he was referring too. "I brought them for Meri, because she doesn't have pajamas, but she's too big for them."

"Wasn't it obvious that they were too small for her?"

Alicia shook her head in response.

Mark rolled his eyes disapprovingly and put her down. "Go take them back to the closet."

Alicia conveyed and she went picking up the pajamas, running out of the bathroom. As he heard the water stopping, Mark stood up and took out of the small closet, a towel for Meredith.

"Here," he said, opening the door, his eyes lingering over her naked body.

Meredith giggled and grabbed the towel off his hands, covering herself quickly. "Thanks."

"Feeling better?" he asked and held out his hand to help her step out of the shower.

"Much better," she smiled.

"Good," he smiled back. He leaned against the counter then, watching her drying herself. "Which was your favorite Halloween costume?" he asked her.

"What?" Meredith looked at him, confused by the purpose of his question.

"Which was your favorite Halloween costume?" he repeated.

Meredith thought about it while she dried her hair.

"Well?" he insisted when he saw her silence.

Meredith shrugged. "A princess costume?"

Mark rolled his eyes. "I was looking for an answer not for a question."

"A princess costume," she answered. "A long princess costume; pink and with big flounces, with beads sewed on them. Why?"

"Just asking," Mark shrugged. "Can you watch her I will I shower?"

"Sure," she answered. She wrapped securely the towel around her body and walked outside.

After she got dressed, Meredith went to help Alicia get ready for her day. Meredith was braiding Alicia's hair, when Mark walked into their room. "Do you want to stay home with me today?" he asked Alicia.

Alicia thought about it for a moment and then she shook her head. "No."

"What if Meredith stays here, do you want to stay home today?" he asked her, surprising both, Meredith and Alicia.

Alicia was surprised because she didn't know that Meredith would stay home. "You don't have to go to the hospital?" she asked her. Meredith shook her head and Alicia's eyes darkened. "You have to work tonight again?" she asked her with disappointment.

"No. I don't have to go to work until tomorrow morning," Meredith answered.

Alicia smiled widely, brightening her face. "And you'll sleep here with me?"

"Maybe," Meredith answered. Her nights spent in Mark's apartment had become regular already, so despite the fact that she wasn't sleeping over quite every night, a possibility for that to happen was always standing.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay home today with me and Meredith?" Mark asked Alicia again.

Alicia sighed disappointedly and shook her head. "I have to go to the rehearsal."

"For the Christmas play?" Meredith asked her.

"Yes."

Mark sighed discreetly, hiding his disappointment. "Ok, then I will go make you something to eat and then I will give you a ride to the kindergarten," he said and walked out of the bedroom.

"Are you coming too?" Alicia turned quickly and looked at Meredith.

"If you want me to," Meredith smiled.

"I do," Alicia nodded.


	28. Pink dress and sparkling diamonds

_**N/A: Hi! Thank you all for your wonderful reviews! I appreciate each of them because it shows your support for my writing. This chapter is a short Mer/Mark moment. I hope you're going to like it. **_

_**I am not sure how fast I will update again because right now I have other things on my mind - like real life :) - but I will try not to let you wait for too long.**_

_**--**_

**Chapter 28 – Pink dress and sparkling diamonds**

Later that morning, Mark drove Alicia to the kindergarten, having the girl securely strapped in the backseat and Meredith at his side. Their breakfast had been quiet and calm, due to the many things had happened from the first hour of the day.

Alicia was struggling to get over the jealousy she felt over her grown-ups' friendship. Her grandmother was right and she was smart enough to understand that; though for a girl who had the entire New York down to her feet, it was a little difficult to accept. Therefore, her chatter had been slow during the breakfast. The poor little girl was going through too much – no morning plays with her Daddy and her friend, no grandma coming soon, her friend's morning sickness. She comforted herself with the idea of having Meredith as Mommy one day and so she managed to push the jealousy in the back of her mind. Meredith seemed to feel much better now, so that was down to the bottom of her worry list too, for the moment. There was still one thing she couldn't get over.

She let out a loud sigh, the only sound that echoed in the car since they left from home. Meredith and Mark looked at each other, wondering the reason for her apathetic mood. Mark looked at her through the rear view mirror and saw her staring out the window, thoughtful. They decided to let her tell them whatever was bothering her.

A minute later, she sighed loudly again. Apparently, she was asking for their attention.

Meredith gave in and turned her torso to look at her. "Is something wrong, Ally?"

Alicia turned her gaze to Meredith instantly and sighed again then she slowly nodded her head but gave no answer.

Meredith stared at her, waiting. "Well?" she insisted as she saw her silence.

"When's my grandma coming?" she asked quietly.

"In just a few days," Meredith answered, but then she heard Mark disapproving. "She's not?" she asked him.

Mark shook her head. "Not right away. But she said she would be here for Christmas."

"That long?" Meredith asked, surprised. "Isn't she afraid to let you unsupervised anymore?" she snickered teasingly.

Mark rolled his eyes. "None of your business," he grumbled.

Meredith shrugged and repositioned herself in her seat. As she did that, they heard Alicia sighing again. Meredith turned to look at her again. "You miss her, don't you?" she asked sympathetically.

Alicia nodded slowly. Then she let out another sigh.

"Why don't you tell me straight what is wrong with you?" Mark demanded, looking at her through the rearview mirror.

Alicia frowned at he father's demand. "How about my kitten?" she pouted.

Mark growled as he heard her question. "What about it?" he asked, gritting his teeth.

"Do I have to wait Santa to bring it to me?" she asked fearfully.

"I guess you do," Mark answered.

Alicia frowned, displeased and disappointed. She folded her arms across her chest and stared out the window.

"I thought you were sad because you missed your grandma. I bet she would like to hear why you are so anxious for her to move here," he teased, trying to divert her attention from the kitten subject.

"I miss my grandma," she retorted, glaring at him. "She loves me more than you do," she grumbled as she pouted again and glared out the window.

"I think she's upset because of… this morning," Meredith whispered and he nodded reluctantly, suspecting the same reason.

"I bet I can't even become gay because she would still be jealous," he muttered under his breath. "You know what…," he said, loud so that he could have Alicia's attention too. "I think we should stop seeing each other," he told looking at Meredith. Despite his convincing tone, Meredith could see a hidden smile on his lips. Something he had in plan.

As she heard that, Alicia gasped terrified.

"I don't want you to be Ally's friend anymore and mine either," he continued. "I don't want to break my relationship with my daughter because of you. It seems that our friendship upsets her too much, so we should stop being friends."

Alicia let out another gasp, this time more panicked, and she started shaking her head frantically. "No, no," she said quickly, her voice pleading. "I am not upset. I am not upset."

"Aren't you?" Mark asked, raising his brow as he peeked through the mirror.

"No, no," she answered quickly. Then she rested against her seat and sigh. "But I still want a kitten," she said quietly.

"She wants a kitten, Mark," Meredith whispered, her tone sharing compassion for the girl's pain.

"Does she?" he chuckled ironically. "We had a deal, Ally. We said you would get a kitten when your grandma would move here."

Alicia seemed to be backing out a she sighed.

"You have a role to rehears so keep your thoughts busy with that. You have to show your teachers, your friends and your friends' parents how superior you are to their brats."

"Mark!" Meredith scolded. "That's not a nice thing to say."

"Shut up," Mark replied harshly. "It's a matter of weeks, Al," he turned to look at her as he stopped at the red light. "You've born so many weeks without your grandma and that damn kitten, so I think you're going to be just fine a few more weeks."

Alicia didn't say anything to that; she just continued to stare out the window, upset.

"Did you find a costume you'd like to wear at the Halloween party?" Meredith asked Alicia in attempt to cheer her up.

Alicia shook her head, not wiling to talk about it.

"I have an idea," Mark cut in and peeked through the mirror to see her eyes on him, watching curiously. "Do you know which one was Meredith's favorite costume when she was little?"

Meredith stared at him in disbelief.

"It was a princess costume with a pink sparkling dress," Mark added, smirking at Meredith.

"I like it," Alicia livened instantly. "A princess dress with diamonds and a crown," she added excitedly. "and sparkling shoes… with diamonds too!"

"I guess we have a costume then," Mark laughed and glanced to Meredith. As he did that, he saw her staring out the window with a sad expression on her face. He briefly touched her leg as he asked her softly. "Are you ok?"

Meredith glanced at him and nodded, smiling faintly. Mark could see something wasn't right, but he decided to let it go. He wasn't good at listening to other people's problems, except for his daughter's.

"I can't wait," Alicia beamed, now living in her new world. Nothing else seemed to matter for her at that moment besides her princess dress.

Soon, Mark pulled the car in the school's parking lot and all three of them headed inside.

"Good morning, Mrs. Kendrick!" Alicia saluted cheerfully as Mark opened the classroom door and Alicia ran ahead. "I found the costume for Halloween," she announced, smiling brightly up to her teacher.

"Hi, Ally," Mrs. Kendrick laughed, surprised by the girl's sudden appearance. "Can I know about it or is it a secret?" she challenged.

"A princess dress!" Alicia squealed. She spun around, imagining herself wearing that dress already. "A beautiful princess dress."

"That's wonderful, sweetie," Mrs. Kendrick laughed.

Alicia nodded in agreement and then ran off to her friends. "Anna, guess what costume I chose!"

Meredith and Mark had stopped beside the door, both amused by the girl's excitement.

"She's going to be a wonderful princess," Meredith muttered and looked at Mark.

"Definitely," he agreed proudly, but as he looked into her eyes, he saw a shade of sadness... or regret. He couldn't tell exactly. "Are you feeling sick again?" he asked her.

Meredith smiled and shook her head. Then Mrs. Kendrick came to them. "Good morning, Mr. Sloan, Meredith," she smiled politely.

"Good morning," Mark answered simply.

"Hi," Meredith smiled.

"It's good to see you, Meredith," Mrs. Kendrick beamed. "It's been a while since I last see you. How have you been?"

"Good. Busy with work," Meredith answered.

"You look changed," she said, looking carefully at her. "You look… beautiful."

"Thanks," Meredith smiled awkwardly.

"No, you really look different. I just can't tell what is it."

Meredith shrugged, clueless.

"Ally!" Mark called after Alicia, who was in the middle of a group of girl, all of them chattering about costumes. Apparently, Alicia managed to cause envy along some of her friends. "We're leaving!" Mark told her.

Alicia ran back to them. Meredith helped her take off her backpack and her jacket and then knelt down at her level. "Behave yourself, ok?"

Alicia nodded and hung on her neck. "I love you."

"I love you too," Meredith smiled and kissed her on the cheek. "And don't brag too much to your friends about your costume. That's not nice."

"Ok," Alicia nodded and then held up her arms to her father. "Bye, Daddy. I love you too," she kissed him as he took her in his arms.

"I love you too," he chuckled and then whispered to her ear. "You can brag how much you want, because you are a princess."

Alicia giggled and shook hear head. "Meri says it's not nice."

"Mark, don't encourage her," Meredith shook her head disapprovingly.

"Yeah," Mark grumbled as he put her down. "She's so smart."

"She is. She's a doctor," Alicia explained. "Doctors are smart. Right, Mrs. Kendrick?" she looked for her teacher's confirmation.

"That's right, Ally," Mrs. Kendrick laughed. "Go hang up your jacket and put your things in your closet."

Alicia nodded and ran, waving back to Meredith and Mark.

"All the kids want to be spoiled," Mark muttered as he waved back.

"She's spoiled enough, don't worry," Meredith giggled.

They said goodbye to Mrs. Kendrick and went back to their car. Walking through the parking lot, Mark took Meredith's hand. "Are you hurrying to get anywhere?" he asked her, tilting his head towards something.

"No," she smiled, confused, and looked after the direction he was showing. Across the street was a small park. The morning was extremely sunny and felt a little warm too. It seemed perfect for a walk. She smiled at him and holding his hand, she led him towards the park.

They walked hand in hand along the alleys, neither of them saying anything or even glancing at each other. Both of them had the strange feeling that they were two shy teenagers and neither of them felt comfortable with it. The sun was indeed charming, painting the trees and the alleys in different shades, making the view look like a photoshop brushed photo.

The park was small indeed; one alley surrounded the park's boundaries and few others crossing on the inside. They took each alley by foot and still neither of them said anything nor peeked at each other. At one point, the uncomfortable walk became irritating for both of them.

Mark suddenly ended their track as he spun her and pulled her into his arms. Her body pressed tightly against his, her arms wounding around his waist. They looked into each other's eyes for a brief second and then their lips met in a long, soft kiss. He slowly brushed her cheek, his lips catching hers lightly, tasting them softly. They pulled back from the kiss in the same time and both lingered in each other's arms, looking deep into each other's eyes.

Mark was the one who broke the embrace. Still holding her hand, Mark led her to a bench nearby the alley. He sat down and brought her sit down close to him, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"Did you mind that I suggested Ally to wear a princess costume for the Halloween party?" he asked.

"No," she answered. "Not at all."

"You seemed… not pleased with the idea," Mark trailed off.

"I was not," Meredith denied, but Mark could tell she wasn't entirely honest.

"Don't tell me you get jealous too over silly things," he chuckled.

"I don't," she smiled. "Why would I be jealous?"

"To see that Alicia looks prettier than you looked in a princess costume," Mark teased.

Meredith smiled faintly and sighed as she put her head on his shoulder. Mark tightened the grip around her shoulders. "You asked me which of my Halloween costumes was my favorite," she muttered.

"Yeah," Mark answered, confused.

"I never had Halloween costume. A princess costume was what I wished to wear if I'd ever have the permission to go to a Halloween party," she muttered. She didn't have to look to know that Mark was staring down at her, surprised.

Mark kissed the top of her head. "You could take the day off that day," he suggested.

Meredith looked at him and smile lightened her face. "And outshine your daughter?" she giggled.

"That's not possible," Mark chuckled. "Nobody outshines my princess."

Meredith laughed along with him. Then slowly her smile faded. "I already promised I would cover that shift for someone."

"Who's the bastard because I'll take care of it," he said, narrowing his eyes.

Meredith smiled. "It's someone with family and kids to take to a Halloween party."

That sliced Mark's mood for joking and cheering. What was he to say now? _'Now you have a family too'_? He couldn't make the words come out and insist on her to come. He just couldn't.

"So what plans do you have for today?" he asked her again, changing the subject.

Meredith shrugged. "None."

"I have plans for you then," he winked and stood up. He pulled her into his arms, against his body. He leaned down and kissed her softly.

Meredith giggled and hardly contained herself not to jump and wrap her legs around his waist. She just limited her actions to touching his lower body.

Mark laughed and his hands did the same as hers, caressing it. "We could that too," he laughed.

"We could?" she laughed and her arms moved around his neck, her hands clutching into his hair.

"Definitely we could," he moaned.

"What else do you have in mind if this," she said, kissing his neck. "if this is just ' we could'"?

Mark laughed and pulled back, holding her hand. "Are you in my plans?" he challenged.

Meredith bit her lip, smiling cheekily. "I guess I am," she giggled.

"Come with me then," he said, leading the way out of the park.


	29. Emotional

N/A: Hi! Remember me? I hope so! :) I know it's been a while since my last update to this fic. Reasons for this are the common ones. Now the new chapter is here. It has a lot of stuff happening in it. Big stuff. I hope you're going to enjoy it. Reviews are welcomed!

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**Chapter 29 – Emotional**

After their short walk through the park and their short moment of tenderness, Mark drove Meredith back to his apartment.

"So what's your plan?" Meredith asked him as they walked inside.

Mark chuckled as he closed the door. "Take a look around you."

Meredith did as Mark told her to do and looked around. Nothing out of ordinary caught her attention; Alicia's clothes all over the place, Mark's work papers, rest food, everything was part of their living room picture. She looked at Mark, clueless, and shrugged.

Mark chuckled again and walked in the middle of the room. "Pay attention," he smirked.

Meredith narrowed her eyes as she looked suspiciously at him. "To this room?"

"To this room and to every other room," Mark smiled.

Meredith looked around her again. She really couldn't understand what he was saying.

"Clean up the house, Grey!" Mark shouted. He took off his jacket, throwing it on the couch and then started picking up his daughter's things.

Meredith looked, surprised as that wasn't what Mark had hinted about earlier in the park. "So you brought me here to clean up your apartment?" she frowned.

"No. Actually I brought you here for a belly dance," he laughed. "You can do Alicia's bedroom, the bathroom and the kitchen and I'll do my room and the living room."

Meredith shrugged, wondering why she had believed they were there for something more romantic when she knew Mark so well. She started gathering Alicia's things too, while Mark took care of his.

Meredith had put all Alicia's things in order in her bedroom and she was now ready to vacuum the carpet. Before she turned it on, Meredith considered it would be safer if she checked under the bed first. It proved she was right about that. Along with pencils, papers and shoes, Meredith also found Kitty, the stuffed kitten that Mark had given her to make her forget about the real kitten. Meredith smiled, shaking her head. Alicia was not easy to fool. Luckily, the bed had high legs, so she could crawl under it to get to the toy. Then she noticed for the first time an object that looked like a suitcase. Meredith looked at it for a moment, wondering what was doing in there and if she should take it out and check if it still had some of Alicia's things from New York. Something told her not to. She got out of the bed, shook the dust off her clothes and started the vacuum cleaner. Once she cleaned the carpet, the room looked neat and clean again. Meredith smiled, proud of the results and turned to walk outside the bedroom. Her feet automatically froze in the doorway. That suitcase kept making her ask what it contained. She peaked outside on the hall and heard Mark throwing something into his room. Meredith walked back inside Alicia's room and closed the door.

She pulled the suitcase outside and sat down on the floor as she opened it. She found it full of papers and folders- probably Mark's, she thought. Something else caught her attention as she dug in through those papers. At the bottom of the suitcase, Meredith found a small, rectangular, pink box. She took it out and stared at her, wondering if she should peak inside or just put it back. There was something about that box; it was probably its pink color and its pink ribbon, which made Meredith think there were some of Alicia's things. Meredith hesitated at first, but then she decided that it was no rudeness if she wanted to see Alicia's things. The curiosity won and Meredith took out the lid. She smiled as she saw the baby photos inside.

She picked up the first one and had no doubt that Alicia was the baby from those pictures. The first one she took was a foreground of Alicia sleeping, with her fists curled under chin. The next picture of Alicia, another foreground, but this one was brighter and Meredith thought it had been taken somewhere outside, showed Alicia like she had around 6 or 7 month old and the camera had caught her laughing at it. Meredith looked through the rest of the photos, all of them with Alicia only, sleeping, eating from her bottle, crying or laughing. The more she looked at those photos, the more she noticed how less Alicia looked like her father. There was no one else in those photos; not a single picture of Alicia's mother, but Meredith was sure Alicia was the spitting image of her mother- fair skin, delicate features, blue eyes and the golden hair.

"Nosy as ever," Mark's voice made her start. She jumped on her feet, letting the photos fell back into the box.

"I uh… found this," she stammered, ashamed of being caught.

Mark rolled his eyes as he made his way to the place where she was and crouched down, gathering the box. "Obviously you found them," he grumbled.

Meredith bit her lip, guilty and ready to take any insult from him. This time she wouldn't protest because she deserved it. Instead of yelling at her, Mark picked up the box as he stood up and turned to walk out the room. Meredith stayed where she was, without knowing what she should do.

She trailed out of the bedroom, ready to apologize for her indiscretion, although she didn't believe it was such a big thing. Those were just photos to her and she had seen some of Alicia's photos before. As she walked into the living room, she found Mark on the couch, looking through those photos.

"I am sorry," Meredith mumbled as she walked behind the couch.

"This was taken the day she was born," Mark said, ignoring or not hearing her apologies. "She was only four hour old in this one," he added holding up to her a photo.

Meredith took it and walked around the couch, coming to sit beside him. "Some of them look…"

"Cropped," Mark answered for her, without tearing his eyes from those photos. "They are cropped."

Meredith glanced at him, wondering.

Mark chuckled and made himself comfortable on the couch, propping his legs on the coffee table in front of him. He put the box on his stomach and took out another photo. "I remember this one," he said, handing Meredith a photo of Alicia- one of her pouting faces. "She was 48 hours old and she was having her first colic," Mark explained, chuckling quietly to himself as he found funny all those memories.

Meredith couldn't help but smile at his chuckle. It wasn't much of what he said about Alicia, but it was the fact that Mark was sharing something to her; part of his past and his daughter's.

"I cut the pictures because most of them had HER," his voice turned bitter as he mentioned HER. He looked at Meredith and smiled weakly, holding up his arm for her to snuggle beside him. Meredith smiled as she stared suspiciously at his request; something huge was happening to him today. Mark rolled his eyes and let his arm drop to his side, unwilling to beg her.

Meredith bit her lip as she lie down beside him and put her head down on his shoulder. His arm wounded around her waist soon. "You said she was a good mother," Meredith muttered, slowly trying to get more information about Natasha.

"She wasn't," Mark muttered back. "She left after just one year, so what she had done before didn't count. The appearances are always false. Some people really deserve an Oscar," he grumbled bitterly, his fingers already crumpling the photo he was holding.

Meredith stayed quiet. She didn't know exactly what his words had meant, but she remembered his attitude toward her the first time they met. She didn't know if she should take his words as insult or he was just spitting out his bitterness toward Alicia's former mother.

"Do you want to know how I met her?" His question was surely unexpected. Meredith looked up at him to meet his gaze and as she stared into his eyes for a few second, she shrugged.

"I met her at the hospital I worked at in New York," Mark said. "She came to me for a breast implants."

A silent pause followed Mark's words. Meredith was in a complete daze, as she couldn't explain the reason for Mark's sudden change; he seemed to… to trust her and maybe more. Mark, on the other hand, was lost in his thoughts. He didn't pay any attention to the fact that he was revealing details from his past to someone else than his mother and his best friend.

"Of course I did an amazing job," Mark continued, looking absentminded while his voice was sounding flat. "I asked her out on a date when she returned for her first control and she accepted. We dated for nearly two months and the…"

"Spare me of unnecessary details," Meredith cut in, suddenly feeling sick of hearing about Mark's relationship with that woman.

Either Mark ignored her or he did not hear her. "Two months later we were in my apartment when she gave me the news. She just blurted it out. I was so scared and panicked, but she looked so… happy. I think I understand now why she was so happy. I think I understand everything now," at this point, Meredith was sure Mark was saying loud what he was thinking. That wasn't a confession. "She wanted me for my money. What I don't understand is, when did I stop giving her money?" he wondered, being well known the royal treatment he had given her during her pregnancy and the following year.

"Will you ever trust in a woman again?" she asked him.

Mark looked at her and then his eyes fell over the photo his was holding. "I don't know… I hope so."

Meredith bit her lip, willing to ask him the next question. "Do you trust me?"

At her question, Mark didn't tear his eyes from the photo and Meredith anxiously waited for his answer. His silence wasn't an encouraging answer. "I don't know," he finally muttered.

Meredith couldn't help but feel disappointed to hear his answer, though she knew she shouldn't have hoped for more. A change was visible in Mark's attitude and that was encouraging enough for her. He would figure out in time his feelings for her.

As he glanced at her, Mark saw the disappointment written in her eyes as she looked down to a photo. "I don't despise all the women," he said and looked at her, meeting her curios eyes. "I don't despise my mom," he added, but there was more meaning behind his first statement and Meredith didn't notice that.

They both fell into an uncomfortable silence as they looked back at the photos they were holding. The silence was broken when they heard Meredith's phone ringing. Meredith patted her pockets and took out her mobile phone. As she looked at the display screen, Meredith saw Cristina's name flashing on it. She flipped it open and answered. "Hey,"

"Hi. I have some time free before I go in the OR, can you come over now for the check you asked me to help you with?" Cristina asked.

Meredith sighed, a little disappointed, as she didn't feel like interrupting her day with Mark, but she still didn't feel very well and she knew it would be better for her to have a medical control. "I will be there in a few minutes," she announced.

"Page me when you're here," Cristina said and hung up.

"I thought you had the day off," Mark wasn't very thrilled either as he heard about Meredith's possible departure, but he managed to hide his disappointment behind his cold look.

"I do, I just need to stop by the hospital… for something I have to do," she trailed off and jumped on her feet. As she did that, Meredith fell back on the couch, feeling her head spinning.

"Hey," Mark caught her before she could hit the couch and held an arm around her waist as if for support, though she was sitting now. "What was that?"

Meredith took a deep breath and slowly she started feeling her head clear again. "I think I stood up too fast," she smiled weakly. "I should go now," she said and stood up again, slower now. "Do you want me to take Alicia from the kindergarten?" she asked him.

Mark thought about it for a second and then answered with a nod. "I could need some sleep."

"Ok," Meredith agreed. She looked for her jacket and put it on while Mark walked her to the door.

--

Meredith stayed in the chair, staring at the photo scans in her hands. There wasn't something obvious on those films, but there would be in a few weeks. It would be if she would keep the pregnancy.

"What do you want to do now?" Cristina asked her again, now sitting in a chair beside her. "I am going to help you," she reassured her friend.

Meredith felt her eyes welling as she looked at her. "I don't know," she whispered, feeling too overwhelmed to think or speak.

"If I am right, you are already 6 weeks pregnant. You need to think about it and make a decision soon," she pointed out and her voice softened as she spoke again. "I will be there for you."

"I need to think," Meredith muttered, staring back at the scans.

Cristina sat back in her chair, watching Meredith and letting her mourn and think over the news she just found out.

"What should I do?" Meredith asked suddenly, looking at Cristina.

Her friend gave her a real answer. "You wouldn't agree with I think you should do now."

Meredith frowned and nervously chewing her lip. "Why do you think I should do your way?"

"It's not my way," Cristina cleared out. "You have two possibilities: abortion or having the baby. You asked me for my opinion and my opinion is that you should do the abort."

"Why?" Meredith insisted on finding the reasons for that decision. There was obvious which Meredith's thought about the pregnancy was.

Cristina smiled knowingly as her presumption proved to be true. "What's between you and Mark Sloan?"

Lately, Meredith asked herself the same thing. "Nothing," she muttered.

"Is there any chance to be something in the near future?" Cristina asked then.

Meredith asked herself that as well. "I don't know."

"Ok then," Cristina said and stood up, coming to sit on the desk in front of Meredith. "Mark Sloan hates women. Through a strange, unknown circumstances he likes his daughter."

"He loves his daughter," Meredith contradicted her.

"And you love him," Cristina concluded.

Meredith looked at her as if Cristina's conclusion was a shocking fact. "I am not."

"Yet," Cristina didn't let it go. "You put up with his crap constantly and you keep spending more and more time with him," she pointed out the obvious. "Now you found out that you're carrying his baby and have serious thoughts about keeping it."

"The baby has nothing to do with Mark," Meredith snapped. "Alicia is a wonderful girl."

Cristina couldn't help but roll her eyes. "You've become maternal because of this girl?"

"And Mark is not that bad once you get to know him," Meredith added in whisper, confirming - though it was no longer necessary – that she was carrying some certain feelings for Mark.

"The girl is his daughter. He has her custody and he raises her. What do you think he would say about your baby?" her friend insisted on changing Meredith's point of view.

"I don't know and I don't care," Meredith retorted firmly. "I won't need his help and I will definitely not abandon my baby."

--

As she walked inside the classroom, Meredith looked around trying to spot Alicia and Mrs. Kendrick. Mrs. Kendrick was talking to some parents; she smiled and waved at Meredith as she noticed her arrival. Meredith waved back and then her eyes trailed again over the class.

"Ally! Ally!" A petite blonde girl had Meredith's attention when she called Alicia's name. Meredith watched her running towards Alicia and pointed to her. "You're mommy is here," she announced.

Meredith heard the word mommy and felt overwhelmed, until then not realizing how usual and comfortable their secret had become. They were still playing mommy and daughter in front of her teachers and friends, but this time it felt different. Soon, her own baby would call her 'mommy' too; she would be mommy for real.

Alicia smiled shyly at Meredith before she ran to her, squealing, "Mommy!"

Meredith knelt and opened her arms, waiting for her. Alicia stopped and threw her arms around Meredith's neck. She dropped a kiss on her cheek and took a step back to smile at her. As she did that, Alicia's smile faded instantly, noticing Meredith's tears. "You're sad," she said with sadness.

"I am not sad," Meredith smiled reassuringly, wiping her eyes. "I am just … emotional."

Alicia's eyes grew in horror as she gasped. "You're sick? You should see Daddy."

Meredith giggled and leaned forward, kissing her on the forehead. "Emotional is not a disease. It means that … I am …happy and little sad too."

"Why are you sad?" Alicia pouted.

Meredith brushed the hair out her face and caressed her cheek. "You are too little to understand."

"I am not little! I am not little!" Alicia protested. "Look how big I am now!" she said, standing up on her tiptoes and showing higher over her head.

Meredith giggled and pulled her into her arms. "You are a sweetheart."

Alicia hung on her neck, hugging her tightly. "You are lovely," she complimented her back.

"Hello, Meredith," Mrs. Kendrick ended their moment of tenderness.

"Mrs. Kendrick," Meredith smiled as she stood up.

"We need to talk," the teacher smiled, but her smile was just politely this time. Meredith understood from the tone of her voice, that Alicia might have done something naughty. "Why don't you go gather your things, Ally," Mrs. Kendrick smiled, urging Alicia to let her talk to Meredith alone.

Alicia nodded and ran to her closet.

"What happened?" Meredith asked, already frowning like a mother who was about to find out about another mischief of her child.

Mrs. Kendrick chuckled, shaking her head reassuringly. "It's nothing serious. I just think you should talk to Ally. She keeps bragging to her friends about the princess dress she will wear for our Halloween party and how her Daddy promised her real diamonds. I think it's great that she is his princess, but… you should spoil her less. This is an expensive kindergarten indeed, but there are many parents who make great financial efforts to have their children here. Not all of them afford to wear diamonds for their Halloween party."

"He won't buy her diamonds for real," Meredith smiled, though she was sure that Mark had been serious when he promised princess dresses and diamonds to his daughter.

"Maybe," Mrs. Kendrick smiled. "It's not just about that. She needs to learn that bragging is not a nice thing and Ally… she tends to do it quite often. Today in particular," she explained.

Meredith felt somehow uncomfortable to be there listening to someone's complaints about a little girl who wasn't her daughter. That moment made her feel for real like a Mommy. Meredith had to agree with Mrs. Kendrick; Alicia was a little too spoiled, but as she never had to deal with any of her tantrums, Meredith never so it as a problem. Contrariwise, she found it very charming.

"On the other hand," the teacher continued. "She's a very nice girl. She's politely and always helpful, that's why I believe you should take care of this before it becomes a habit. She's an only child, isn't she?" she asked.

Meredith flushed of embarrassment as her thought ran to her pregnancy. "Uh… yes,"

"Oh," Mrs. Kendrick nodded knowingly. "She must be Daddy's little girl then."

"Definitely," Meredith giggled.

Their conversation ended when Alicia showed up with her backpack on a shoulder and her jacket on the other one.

"Aren't you going to get dressed first?" Meredith asked her.

"Do I have to?" Alicia asked innocently.

"It's cold outside, so yes… you have to," Meredith smiled.

"But we are going with the car," Ally replied.

"Ally, put the jacket on," Meredith said firmly, taking the backpack off her shoulder. Alicia let out a sigh before she complied and put the jacket on. "Thank you for letting me know about that," Meredith smiled at Mrs. Kendrick when both were ready to leave.

"I am glad I could talk to you," Mrs. Kendrick smiled. "I will see you tomorrow, Ally."

Alicia answered with a charming smile and waved as she said goodbye to her friends.

**--**

Just a dim light illuminated the bed in Alicia's bedroom. She let out a sigh while Meredith put aside on the nightstand her storybook.

"Why isn't my Daddy home yet?" Alicia asked quietly, watching at Meredith with disappointment in her eyes.

"I told you already; many people got suddenly sick and your Daddy had to go and help them at the hospital," Meredith explained. She got out of the bed and tucked the blanket around Ally. "Mrs. Kendrick told me something about you and that didn't make me very happy," she said, trying to get her mind off Mark's absence and make her sleep.

Alicia gasped as her eyes grew in horror and worry.

"She told me that you have been bragging to your friends with your Halloween costume,"

"Bragging?" Alicia asked, confused.

"You are very proud of your dress and diamonds and because of this you talk too much about this to your friends."

Alicia stared at her, completely puzzled.

"It's not a nice thing to brag," Meredith explained.

"Why?"

Meredith couldn't help but smile as she waited for that question. "Al," she said softly, sitting on the bed beside her. "You know your Daddy wasn't talking about real diamonds when he promised you that."

"Yes, he was," Alicia contradicted her firmly. She knew her Daddy very well.

"No, he wasn't," Meredith shook her head, though she knew it was a lie, but later when she would have the chance, she would talk to Mark about what Mrs. Kendrick told her. "He doesn't have so much money."

"Yes, he has," Alicia frowned. "He always has money to buy cookies for me," she pointed out knowingly.

"Cookies are cheaper than the diamonds," Meredith replied. "Listen to me," she tried to explain better. "Not all the girls from your kindergarten can afford to wear expensive costumes for the Halloween party."

"Yes, they can," she contradicted her again. "My Daddy says it's an expensive kindergarten."

Meredith was surprised to hear her explanation. "Aren't you too little to think about money?"

Alicia smiled mischievously and shook her head. Meredith giggled and leaned down, kissing her on the forehead. "You're Daddy's girl."

"And Meri's girl," Alicia giggled, wrapping her arms around Meredith's neck.

Meredith felt her eyes welling at Alicia's compliment and Alicia noticed that immediately. "You're sad again."

"I told you I am not sad," Meredith smiled reassuringly, wiping her eyes. "I am just emotional." Suddenly she felt the urge of sharing her secret with someone else besides Cristina and there was no other person than Alicia who she would want to know. Meredith bit her lip, wondering if she should share it with someone else. If Alicia would know, the abortion would be out of discussion… or at least, harder to consider it.

"Can you keep a secret?" Meredith couldn't help it.

"Yes!" Alicia squealed as she stood up. "I can keep a secret. My Daddy and I have a secret and I am not telling you about it."

Meredith was surprised to hear that. "Is it about me?"

Alicia smiled and innocently nodded her head. "I like secrets. Tell me yours."

Meredith giggled and nodded. "It's a very important secret and you can't tell anyone about. Are we clear?"

Alicia drew the imaginary zipper over her lips and nodded in agreement.

"No one has to know that we have a secret," Meredith warned her.

Alicia smiled and nodded again.

"Ok," she giggled. She took a deep breath and put her hand on her stomach. "Do you know what I have in here?" she asked.

"Food," Alicia answered quickly.

"True," Meredith laughed. "But I have something else too."

"Butterflies?" Alicia asked.

"No, I don't have butterflies," Meredith laughed. "I have … a tiny baby."

Alicia stared at her in awe. "A baby?"

"Yes. A baby. And later, when it comes out, it will be your little brother or sister," she explained.

Alicia had her mouth opened as she listened to Meredith. "Why do you have it in your tummy?" she asked.

Meredith closed her eyes, blaming herself for not thinking about this before. Of course she was going to ask her about babies, where do they come from and how do they come out.

"Meri," Alicia called for her attention, patting her face.

"We… we'll talk about this some other time, ok?" Meredith hoped for an affirmative answer.

"Why?"

"Because … because now it's too late and your Daddy might be home any second now and he could hear about our secret. We don't want him to know about it yet."

Alicia sighed and lay back in bed. "Ok," she smiled. "Stay with me until Daddy comes, ok?"

"Only until your Daddy comes?" Meredith asked curiously.

Alicia nodded. "You have to sleep with him when he comes."

"Do I?" Meredith narrowed her eyes suspiciously. That morning she had complained about the fact that she woke up alone.

"Yes," Alicia nodded.

"Why?"

"Because you have to," Alicia shrugged.

"Ok," Meredith laughed, pleasantly surprised to see Alicia's sudden compliance toward that subject.

Alicia held out the blanket, inviting her beside her. "Only until my Daddy comes," she reassured her.

"Ok," Meredith laughed and lay down next to her.

Alicia snuggled in Meredith's arms and kissed her on the cheek. "I love you so much, Meri," she confessed. Then she put her hand on Meredith's tummy and whispered, "and the baby."

Meredith smiled, this time convinced that had made the right decision- because the decision had been made when she told Alicia about the baby… or maybe before.

"I am so emotional," Alicia muttered with a sigh.

Meredith smiled and kissed the top of her head, gently rubbing her back until Ally drifted to sleep.


	30. Brain damaged man

**_N/A: New chapter for my lovely readers. At first I wasn't sure I should post this one, but in the end I think it came out ok. It's much of a filler; nothing important is really happening. Some Mer-Ally cuteness I hope will please you._**

**_I re-thought the rest of the storyline and now I have a new idea for the ending... a special ending. And speaking of it, as I thought about the rest of the story I realized that I am getting closer to its end. I have like 5 or 6 chapters left. Maybe I will manage to insert 1 or 2 more chapters in between. This depends on how the writing goes and how you like it. _**

**_Enough with my notes now. Enjoy the new chapter! Dana_**

**_--_**

**_Chapter 30 – Brain damaged man_**

Meredith started waking up when Alicia whimpered and starting tossing beside her. She slowly opened her eyes, heavy of sleep, to see Ally sinking her face in her pillow. As her head cleared a little, Meredith heard the reason for the sudden fussiness around her. A phone was ringing. Immediately she threw the blanket off her and stumbled on her feet, grabbing a hold on the nightstand when she got dizzy. Meredith closed her eyes, controlling her breathing and fighting against the dizziness. When she felt she recovered her stability, Meredith turned and walked out the Alicia's bedroom, trailing into the living room. She grabbed the phone and crashed on the couch as she answered.

"Hello," she answered with a yawn.

"Meredith," Meredith recognized Cristina's voice and from the tone of her voice, she could tell it was about something serious. In that moment, the sleep vanished instantly and Meredith looked at the clock beside her. It was past 4 o'clock in the morning and just then, she realized that she had fallen asleep with Alicia while she waited for Mark to come back from the hospital. "Mark is here," Cristina announced.

"Mark is still there? How bad it was and why wasn't I paged?" Meredith asked, confused.

"He was in a car accident on his way home," Cristina answered.

Meredith felt like she was chocking in the lack of air. "He what?" her voice was barely audible.

"The Chief is taking care of him right now. He didn't seem to have serious injuries," Cristina related. "He is still conscious and this is a good sign."

Though Cristina was giving her several assurances, Meredith couldn't help but feel panicked and suddenly sick to her stomach.

"He wants to see Alicia," Cristina added. "Bring her here when she wakes up."

Meredith had to swallow a limp to be able to form a word. "Ok,"

"I have to go now and… don't worry," Cristina softened her voice. "He's going to be alright."

As soon as she hung up, Meredith ran to the bathroom.

--

After that phone call, Meredith couldn't go back to sleep. She just lay there in bed with Ally, watching her sleeping. When the time came for Alicia to wake up, Meredith gently shook her. Of course, Alicia wasn't going to jump on her feet right away. She whimpered, shaking her head.

"It's time to wake up, Ally," Meredith whispered in her ear. A muffled whimper came from Alicia's pillow. "Don't you want to get up?" Alicia shook her head. "Don't you want to have breakfast with me?" The girl shook her head again. "Would you let me eat alone?" Meredith adopted a hurt voice.

Alicia didn't come with the answer right away. After she thought about it for a while, she reluctantly got on her knees and crawled to Meredith, hugging her sleepily. Meredith smiled, content with the results, and hugged tightly.

"You're hungry?" Alicia asked her sleepily, yet not opening her eyes.

"I am a little hungry," she answered.

"The baby is hungry too?" Alicia asked then.

Meredith found herself smiled widely as she heard Alicia asking for the baby; it was her first smile that morning, which made her forget for the moment about Mark's accident. "The baby is hungry too."

Alicia sighed as she slowly pulled from Meredith and fell on her seat. She rubbed her eyes and let out a yawn before her blue eyes looked at Meredith. "The baby is still in there?" she asked Meredith, glancing at her stomach.

"The baby is still in here," Meredith giggled as she placed a hand over her stomach. In that moment, she felt a strange feeling sweeping through her body. It was for the first time she was doing that gesture while she was aware of the pregnancy. "And it's going to stay in here for a while."

"When it will come out?" Alicia asked.

"We have to wait almost 8 months," she answered.

"That means a lot?"

"Yes," Meredith answered. "Let's get ready for breakfast," she said, quickly standing up and avoiding any other questions about her pregnancy.

Alicia crawled to the edge of the bed and took Meredith's hand as she jumped off the bed. "I want my pink skirt. Lucy will have a pink skirt today."

That reminded Meredith she had to tell Alicia about Mark. She knelt in front of the girl and ran her fingers through her hair. "You're not going to kindergarten today. We're going to see Daddy."

"In his room?" Alicia asked, confused.

Meredith shook her head. "He's at the hospital."

"He slept there?" Alicia gasped as she heard that. "He didn't sleep with you?"

"No…"

Alicia cut in before Meredith could explain the situation. "Why? He has to sleep with you!"

"Al," Meredith stopped her, smiling. "He's kind of sick and… he had to sleep at the hospital to feel better."

"My Daddy is sick?" Alicia's eyes instantly filled with tears.

"He's not very sick. He's going to be fine, I promise," Meredith hurried to assure her. "Don't cry, ok? If he were very sick, then they wouldn't have let us go see him today. But he's not and we're going to see him."

Alicia wiped her eyes, nodding sadly. "But I am not very hungry now," she muttered. "I want to see my Daddy."

"We have to eat something before we go to the hospital, otherwise we can get sick too. Don't be sad. I promise he is fine," Meredith reassured her.

--

That morning, Alicia wasn't a chatty person anymore. She answered only when Meredith asked her something or when she needed anything.

"Meredith?"

Meredith looked, worried, in the rearview mirror when she heard Alicia using her full first name and saw her gazing out her window.

"Yes,"

"Are you going to die?" she asked and her eyes shifted on Meredith.

"What kind of question is this?" Meredith asked displeased to hear that. "I won't die soon," she answered eventually and then she heard Alicia gasping.

"You're going to die in 8 months?" Alicia asked in horror.

Meredith was seriously worried now. But then she understood the reasons for Alicia's question. She was still worried about her Daddy, despite Meredith's constant assurances, and now she was worried about Meredith's pregnancy as well.

"When I will be old," Meredith answered. "And I won't be old in 8 months from now. I will be older, but not old," she explained. Glancing back at Alicia, she saw her gazing out her window again, thoughtful.

"Meri?" she asked for her attention again.

"What is it now?"

"Meri, how did the baby get in there? Did you eat it?"

Meredith didn't know if she should laugh or hit her head really hard against the steering wheel as she heard Alicia's question.

"Meri," Alicia insisted.

"Um…" Meredith cleared her throat, looking for a little more time to come up with a good explanation. "Look, it's green already," she muttered as she peaked out the windshield at the traffic lights. She started the car and as she drove, Meredith could feel Alicia's gaze on her. "The baby… well… Do you remember when your Daddy and I used to … play?"

"Uh-huh," Alicia answered with a nod.

"Well… it happened while we were playing. It was… like an accident," she stuttered.

"You played with Daddy and you have a baby now in your tummy?" Alicia asked in awe.

Meredith laughed nervously. "Kind of,"

"I played with Daddy too," for the first time that morning, Alicia squealed excitedly.

"No, no," Meredith laughed as she heard Alicia's conclusion. "You have to be a grown-up like me and your Daddy to have babies. You can play all you want with him but you… can't get pregnant," Meredith stopped as she started feeling uncomfortable with the discussion they were having.

"Oh," Alicia seemed to have understood that. "But how did it get in there?" she asked, still curious.

Meredith thought about a new explanation for a brief second and then it struck her. "It's… like a virus."

"What's that?" Alicia asked curiously. "It's like when you are cold and cough and sneeze and you have fever?"

"Something like that. It's just that I don't have fever and I don't cough or sneeze. It's a different kind of virus. A virus that … makes babies grow in women's tummies," Meredith explained and smiled in the end, proud of herself.

"So…" Meredith winced as she waited for Alicia's conclusion. "You're kind of sick."

Meredith sighed with relief and nodded her head. "That's right. But I am not really sick. Just a little, tiny bit."

"So…" Meredith rolled her eyes to hear that again from Alicia. "You won't sleep at the hospital with Daddy."

"No," Meredith laughed.

"You will be sleeping with him at home,"

Meredith thought about it and nodded. "Probably yes."

"Oh," Alicia sighed and gazed out the window again. "Ok," she muttered.

"Now remember, this is a secret. Your father doesn't have to know, ok?"

Alicia looked at her and nodded. "Ok. But Meri?"

"What is it now?"

"Why is it a secret? My Daddy doesn't know you have a baby?"

"No, he doesn't."

"Why?"

"Because… I want to … surprise him… later," Meredith stuttered.

"And Meri?" Alicia wanted to know something else.

"Yes," Meredith answered.

"Is it my Daddy's baby too or is it just yours?" Alicia asked.

"It's your Daddy's baby too and it's also yours," Meredith answered.

"Mine too?" Alicia gasped excitedly. "I love babies."

"I can see that," Meredith laughed, completely charmed by Alicia's excitement. At that point, the abortion was excluded. "Now we are here," she announced while she pulled the car on a free parking spot.

Meredith helped Alicia get out of her car and took her hand as they walked together into the hospital.

"Look, that's Izzie!" Alicia squealed as they stepped out the elevator, pointing to the place where Cristina and Izzie were.

"Hello, Ally!" Izzie came greeting them as she heard Alicia.

"Hello, Izzie!" Alicia held out her arms so that Izzie would bend and kiss her. Her eyes shifted on Cristina, not quite a familiar face.

Cristina noticed the girl's stare, so she flashed a smile. "Hello, little girl."

Alicia giggled, playing shy as she took Meredith's hand. "Hello, you!"

Izzie and Meredith started laughing.

"Yeah, funny. Your dad is in the hospital and you're joking," Cristina grumbled.

"Cristina!" Meredith scowled. "She wasn't joking! How is he feeling?"

"Bitter as always," Izzie muttered. "Other than that, he is fine; one broken rib, probably brain damage and a few scratches. He's down the hall in room 731," she said pointing over her shoulder.

Meredith nodded as she started walking. "I will see you later."

Meredith opened the door and led Alicia inside. Alicia stopped and gave a look around the hospital room, feeling a little bit lost as she saw all those machines and unfriendly furniture. "Daddy!" she shouted when she spotted Mark, sleeping.

Mark's eyes popped open when he heard his daughter. Alicia freed herself from Meredith's hand and ran to his bed. "Oh Daddy you are so sick," her eyes welled up with tears as she looked at the band-aid from Mark's forehead and a few other minor scratches on his face.

Meredith walked over to the bed and helped Alicia get beside her father.

"I am not that sick," Mark stood up, allowing his girl to nestle beside him. "I am just a little ugly," he chuckled, taking her into his arms.

Alicia sobbed as she threw her arms around him. "Meri is sick too. Everyone is sick," she cried out.

Meredith turned tomato red when Mark looked at her, curious. "I am fine," she assured him. "How are you feeling?" she asked him, in the same time reaching for his chart.

"Put that down," Mark scolded.

"Is it secret? Are you having a rare disease or what?" she asked, ignoring his glare. She flipped it open and read it.

"You're not my doctor and this thing is personal," Mark glared at her.

"I am a doctor though," she shrugged.

"But you're not on call now,"

"Mark," Meredith frowned, irritated by Mark's grumpiness. "I will go change into my hospital clothes if that makes you feel better. Nothing interesting in here anyway," she said and closed the chart, throwing it back on the nightstand. "You're going to make it."

"Can you be less nosy?" Mark asked, glaring at her.

"I am following a treatment for it," she smiled.

"Change the doctor," Mark grumbled, unwilling of taking Meredith's sense of humor. "I am fine, so stop crying," he said softly, kissing his daughter.

Alicia sniffled and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Does it hurt?" she asked him quietly.

"Now that you're here, it doesn't," he smiled reassuringly.

Alicia giggled and nestled beside him.

"I am going to talk to the chief and tell him I am taking the day off," Meredith said.

"I already talked to him about it," he answered dryly.

"Nice," Meredith frowned. "Have considered asking me first?"

"No," he glared back. "But if you don't want to stay with Ally today, then fine."

Alicia looked up at Meredith, panicked. "You don't want to stay with me?"

"Of course I do," Meredith smiled, but also glared discreetly towards Mark. What pissed her off was the idea of having Mark controlling her life.

Alicia stood up and fumbled in her purse for something. "I brought you a cookie," she smiled, handing Mark a cookie wrapped in a napkin. "Meri says it will make you feel better."

Mark smiled as he took the cookie from her. "Do you know what would make me feel better? A kiss from my princess."

Alicia giggled and knelt beside him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing a long sloppy kiss on his cheek. "Now it's your turn, Meri!" she said, motioning for her to come.

"I feel much better now," Mark caught her arm and brought it beside her body, without glancing at Meredith.

Meredith knew what Mark had said about keeping secret whatever was going between them and she understood the reason he refused to let her kiss me, but she couldn't help not to feel hurt too. She fought back the tears, looking away. "I will leave you two alone," she said quietly and walked out of the room.

Cristina saw her coming and hurried by her side, noticing then the tears in her eyes. "Come," she said and walked her to an empty exam room.

As the door closed, Meredith let the tears stream down her cheek, not bothering to wipe them. Cristina just stood there, waiting for Meredith to talk first.

"I told Ally about the baby," Meredith admitted and looked at her friend to see her shaking her head disapprovingly.

"So you made a decision,"

"No," Meredith shook her head. "Not yet."

"Not yet? But you felt excited about the idea of being pregnant, considering the fact that you hurried to share it with another person," Cristina pointed out knowingly.

"If…" Meredith sighed. "If I could understand him. One minute he is prince charming, the next minute he turns into a complete ass. His mood swings are so frustrating. He is like… a puzzle. I don't get him. I can't read him."

"You're in love with him," it was a statement, not a question.

Meredith wiped her cheek and swallowed a lump. "I think so. This is bad, isn't it?" she asked.

"Yes… kind of," Cristina came to sit beside her. "You need to make a decision and you can't let him play with your feelings anymore. Don't bare all these just to be close to his daughter. If you want to have this baby, then keep it. I will be there for you. You just need to talk to him once for all and ask him straight what he wants from you."

"Do you think I should tell him about the baby?"

"No," Cristina answered after a brief moment of silence. "Whatever he decides shouldn't be based on your pregnancy."

Meredith sniffled and wiped her cheeks one more time, nodding in agreement with her friend.

--

When Meredith returned later in Mark's room, she found them chatting about cookies and candies. They both looked up when she walked in, but Meredith avoided his eyes.

"Hey, Al! It's lunch time. Do you want to come with me and eat something?" she asked, looking straight into her eyes, fighting the temptation of looking at Mark. "Izzie is waiting for us in the cafeteria."

Alicia smiled and sighed with relief. "I am so hungry," she admitted. Meredith went and helped her climb down the hospital bed.

As she turned to leave, Mark held her wrist, stopping her. "What is it?" she asked him coldly, looking back over her shoulder at his hand, again avoiding his eyes.

Mark slowly ran his thumb across her soft skin. "Thank you."

"Sure," Meredith felt the urge of crying again and jerked her wrist from his grip.

"Meredith," Mark quickly caught back her wrist. "What's wrong?" he asked her in a much softer tone than earlier that day.

Meredith looked into his eyes and allowed a tear to slide down her cheek. "Nothing," she closed her eyes as she answered. She wiped the tear off her cheeks and smiled at him. "I will bring her back later. I can see she likes to hang out around the hospital."

"You should see her ruling the nurses," Mark laughed.

"I bet that's funny, but she'll go back to kindergarten tomorrow while you'll have to work with the nurses everyday," she chuckled. As she looked back at Mark, Meredith realized he wasn't the only one with mood swings; just that she had reasons for those, while Mark didn't.

As Meredith took Alicia's hand to walk her outside the room, a nurse walked in. "Dr. Sloan, is time for your shot," she said bringing with her a syringe.

Alicia gripped on Meredith's hand, horrified as she looked at the needle. "That's ok," Meredith leaned down and whispered in her ear. "He's a big boy. It doesn't hurt him."

"I specifically requested not to include shots in my treatment! I can take pills!" Mark surprised everyone when he started shouting at the nurse.

"Dr. Sloan, this is penicillin. Just one shot," the nurse tried to explain.

"Stay there on the couch," Meredith whispered to Alicia and she walked over to Mark's bed. "Do you want me to hold your hand?" she asked him, smiling teasingly. Mark shot her a deadly glare. "I'll do it," she told the nurse.

"Be my guest," the nurse dropped the syringe in Meredith's hand and turned to walk away, visibly irritated by Mark's attitude.

"You're not going to touch my ass," Mark warned her, glaring.

"Mark!" Meredith snapped and tilted her head to Alicia, making him aware of her presence there. "Besides, I've touched it before," she whispered. "Don't tell me you're afraid of needles."

Mark pulled a martyr's face and rolled on his side, with his back on Meredith.

"Come give your Daddy a kiss as reward for being a brave boy," Meredith smiled teasingly at Mark as she called Alicia.

Alicia came running beside Mark's bed and Meredith lifted her on the bed. She leaned down and kissed her Daddy's both cheeks. "Better now?" she asked him.

Mark looked at Meredith as he answered. "Just a little better."

Alicia leaned to him again and kissed him one more time. "Are you ok now?"

"Not really," Mark answered.

Alicia sat down and let out a loud, exasperated sigh. "Help him now, Meri!" she asked.

Meredith raised her brows as she looked at Mark's grin. Earlier he was refusing to look at her; now he was asking for a kiss. She picked Alicia up in her arms. "Let's go eat. Izzie is waiting for us," she told her and turned to leave, muttering under her breath, "Brain damaged man."


	31. DecisionsPart 1

Meredith lay down on a gurney, covered her eyes with her arm and as she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths as relaxation, she could feel the room spinning and a wave of nausea threatening her stomach. She tried to push back the sensation of nausea and focused on regular breaths and blank thoughts. In a moment like that, she was regretting she had refused to accept Mark's favor and have the Halloween evening off. Her thoughts couldn't stay blank for long as they drifted to Alicia. At that moment, Alicia was at her Halloween party at kindergarten and Meredith was picturing her laughing and running around in her green bunny costume. Her kindergarten had finally made a decision over the Halloween party theme and decided each class to choose a certain color and have animal costumes.

Meredith had slowly drifted to sleep and almost fell off the gurney when her pager went off. She stumbled on her feet and grabbed a hold on the gurney to stay steady. Meredith checked the message and read 911. "Oh great," she grumbled with a sigh while her feet started trailing down the hall and go back in the ER.

"What happened?" Meredith asked as she barged through the doors. Her feet froze on the spot and her heart stopped for a second when she saw a tiny bunny, crumpled in pain on a gurney. "What's wrong with her?" she asked, panicked, as her feet started running towards that patient.

"She has fever and acute abdominal pains; we need to book an OR," Mark said, already consulting Alicia.

"What happened?" Meredith put her stethoscope on and pushed Mark away from the gurney.

"I thought you were a good doctor!" Mark snapped at her. "That's why I paged you. It's called appendicitis."

"Meri!" Alicia cried when she recognized Meredith by her side. "Oh Meri!" she cried and held her hand out to hold on her.

"That's ok, sweetie," Meredith smiled reassuringly. "Can you lay onto your back so that I can touch your tummy?" she asked softy.

"Don't cut me!" Alicia cried desperately.

"I won't. Just let me see what's wrong with you, ok? You want to get well, don't you?"

Alicia sobbed and, with Meredith's help, she lay onto her back.

"I already did that," Mark snapped at her again. "Don't lose time. Be more efficient, Grey!"

"Get out!" Meredith stopped and turned to Mark. "I am the doctor here and she's my patient. Get out while I am consulting her."

"I am a doctor too in case you don't remember!" Mark snapped.

"You are my patient's father," Meredith retorted, trying to control the tone of her voice. "Please wait for an update outside. You know the rules, Mark." As she said that, Meredith turned her attention back to Alicia, ignoring Mark.

Because none seemed to be listening to his orders, Mark finally gave up and walked outside.

"You don't have fever and your abdomen is not rigid," Meredith concluded. "Do you feel nausea? Like throwing up?" Meredith asked Alicia and the girl answered with a nod. "Did you throw up until you got here?" Alicia answered with another nod.

Spending the whole afternoon in the OR, Meredith had attended all kind of cases, most of them caused by the abuse of alcohol and sweets. She chuckled and shook her head as she leaned down to Alicia. "Tell me, Ally… have you eaten any sweets this evening at the party?"

Alicia slowly nodded her head.

"And did you eat many sweets?" Meredith asked her and Alicia bit her lip, guilty. "You need to tell me," Meredith smiled. "Otherwise I can't help you feel better."

"I think I did," Alicia answered quietly.

"Ok," Meredith laughed and caressed her cheek. "I am going to give you something for your stomach pain."

"Injection?" Alicia gasped, frightened.

"No; it's like syrup. It's not very sweet, but you need to take it if you want the pain to disappear," she explained kindly. "It won't hurt, I promise." Alicia looked at her, still with distrust, but this time she didn't protest.

After she gave the medicine to Alicia, Meredith went outside to talk to Mark. She smiled as she found him pacing nervously along the hall. He stopped when he saw her and sprinted to her.

"I am still mad," he grumbled. "How is she?"

Meredith chuckled and shook her head. "Let's call it chocolate poisoning," she shook her head again as Mark rolled his eyes, guilty. "And you shouldn't be mad because I only did my job. I guess we know now why we don't treat our families. You were about to cut her open for an indigestion."

"Yeah, yeah, you're so smart and I am so less smart," Mark grumbled ironically while rolling his eyes, making Meredith laugh.

"You should have watched her. You know how much she loves eating sweets," Meredith scolded. Mark rolled his eyes. "And stop rolling your eyes. It looks creepy and makes you look like you're mentally unstable."

"Hey," Mark frowned. "Can I take her home?"

"You can take her home," she answered.

Mark nodded and, with the same frown in his eyes, he looked at her. "Are you coming too?"

Meredith smiled and nodded. "I just need to change my clothes."

"We'll be waiting in the car," Mark said and walked past her, going to take Ally.

When Meredith got down in the main lobby, she was surprised to see Mark sitting in a chair with Alicia curled up onto his lap. Mark was browsing through a magazine and Alicia was facing Meredith's direction. She sleepily glanced up and her face lightened up when she saw Meri coming to them. Mark looked up as well when Alicia held out her arms and then he noticed Meredith. He picked her up and placed her on his hip as he carried her to Meredith.

"Are you feeling better, Ally?" Meredith asked as she took Alicia from her father's arms.

Alicia started crying while her arms locked around Meredith's neck and she sunk her face into her shoulder. "It'll get better, I promise," Meredith softly said and rubbed tiny circles against her back.

"Come, I will carry you to the car," Mark said and tried to unlock Alicia's hands from around Meredith's hand. He tried, because Alicia was firmly holding on her and refused to let go.

"That's ok," Meredith panted. "I think I can carry her."

Mark smiled sympathetically as he knew Alicia was growing up and she was no longer easy like a baby. He put a hand on Meredith's back and led their way out the hospital. He opened the backseats door and helped Meredith inside, with Alicia cradling onto Meredith's lap as soon as they were inside.

Meredith sniffed as she felt a very disturbing smell inside and suddenly, the nausea violently returned. "What's this smell?" she asked, holding her nose.

"Alicia threw up inside the car… twice," Mark grumbled as he got on the driver's seat.

Meredith pushed Alicia away and ran out the car, throwing up beside it. She propped her hand against the car as she bend and kept vomiting. From there, she could hear Alicia doing the same thing and Mark groaning.

"Oh great… just great," she heard Mark outside the car and coming beside her. "You can't stand the smell? You deal with this all the time."

Meredith wasn't ready to blare out about the pregnancy, so she just explained it simply, "After several hours of treating symptoms like this, you get enough of it."

Mark sighed tired and leaned inside the car and helped Alicia outside, grumbling. "Halloween parties; couldn't we have just sit home and go trick or trick to a neighbor or two? Perfect evening," he continued grumbling as he led Alicia to the front seat. "Stay here, because here's the only clean spot I have in this car," he said and put Alicia on a chair.

"I will ride with my car," Meredith stated and drew in a deep breath, feeling more refreshed as she inhaled the cold air.

"Meri!" Alicia cried out, leaning outside to reach to Meredith. "Come with me," she begged.

Meredith walked over to her side and crouched beside her. "I will. I am just driving with my car. I also have to stop by my house. I have a present for you," she smiled, tucking behind her ear a stray of hair.

"A present?" a faint smile crept on her face painted in pain.

"A present," Meredith smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "I will see you at home, ok?" Alicia nodded slowly.

--  
Meredith stopped in front of Mark's apartment and knocked once. Soon she heard steps coming from inside and the door opened.

"Hey," Mark greeted her with a smile. "Come on in," he opened the door, inviting her inside.

Meredith smiled and tucked the handbag she was holding under her arm before she walked inside. "Hi. Where's Ally?" she asked, giving a quick look around the living room.

"She fell asleep in the car," he answered.

"I hope you took off her costume," she said, carefully placing the handbag into a chair. She took her jacket off and took the handbag again.

"You're underestimating my intelligence," Mark groaned.

"Whatever. I am going to see her," Meredith replied quickly and, with the bag tucked under her arm, she walked past him.

"She's sleeping," Mark frowned.

"I won't be long," she answered without stopping from her track.

As she walked inside Alicia's room, Meredith slowly closed the door and tiptoed to her bed. It was dark in there, but Meredith had no trouble reaching to the bed. Alicia was sleeping curled up in a ball, facing Meredith and as Meredith ran her hand over her forehead, Alicia sighed loudly.

Meredith put the bag on the bed and opened it. Carefully she took out a tiny white kitten. The kitten mewed quietly and passed unheard by Alicia.

"Shh," Meredith whispered. "She's your owner now. Stay here and let her sleep because she's not feeling so well," she whispered as she put the kitten down on bed next to Alicia. The kitten stood on its feet and scrutinized the surrounding before it walked and sat down beside Alicia's tummy.

Meredith giggled, proud of herself, and took her bag back as she turned and walked out of the room.

"What are you carrying in there?" Mark asked suspiciously, as he noticed Meredith carrying that bag with her everywhere.

"Nothing," Meredith shrugged and let the bag fall in the chair beside her jacket.

"Did you bring her the present?" Mark asked her. "She tried to see if I knew anything about this present of yours."

"I already gave it to her," Meredith smirked.

"What did you get her?" he asked her, curious.

"You can't find out before she does," Meredith giggled.

"Will I like it?"

"I don't care about you, because I didn't buy it for you," she answered and sat down on the couch.

"You are so getting on my nerves sometimes," Mark stated matter-of-factly while he came and sat beside her. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him. Mark crushed his lips against hers and then smiled as he showed her a wrapped candy.

Meredith giggled and took the candy. "Just sometimes?"

"It's chocolate," Mark smirked, "We saved it for you."

"I am flattered," she laughed. She shifted her position and nestled under his arm.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked her, gently stroking her cheek. Meredith smiled weakly and nodded. "I offered to get the day off for you today," he pointed out.

"I should have accepted the favor," she sighed heavily, stripping out the candy. As she enjoyed the soft chocolate favor, Meredith became thoughtful. Her pregnancy symptoms were still obvious. Somehow, she had managed to hide them from Mark, but now she knew it was time to make a decision. She felt nausea, but this time it wasn't because of the pregnancy; it was because of the fear of telling Mark about the baby she was carrying. "I need to tell you something," she said quietly.

Mark took her hand and pulled her onto his lap. She mounted him and smiled weakly as she played with the buttons from his shirt.

"You need courage to tell me," Mark chuckled teasingly, although he wasn't aware of how true his words were. He brushed the hair out her face and brought her face down to him, softly kissing her lips.

Meredith gave in with a loud sigh and parted her lips, allowing his tongue to thrust into her mouth. She pressed her body against his chest, holding his face between her hands, as their tongues danced together.

Mark started unbuttoning her shirt and his hands gripped on her soft skin. Meredith moaned softly as his hands wandered upper to her body, caressing her back and lingering over her breasts. She was going to tell him about the pregnancy later.

Mark let out a groan, which sounded like a defeated sound, and pulled back from the kiss. "I think I am too tired."

Meredith stared at him like dumbfounded. "You're… too tired?" she asked him, almost in disbelief. "Are you sick?"

Mark rolled his eyes, slightly offended by Meredith's presumption. "Try spending the whole afternoon with a population of children."

"Population of children?" Meredith giggled. "It couldn't be that bad."

"It wasn't bad," he agreed. "It was hell. Tiny creatures running and screaming all around you. I lived a nightmare today."

Meredith laughed and shook her head. "You're so whiny."

"You're still not taking me to bed tonight," he laughed. "I don't know how people bare with more than one kid. I'd seriously get into a mental hospital if I had more than Ally," he added with a chuckle.

He didn't notice the effect his words had on Meredith. This time, she felt sick to her stomach and hardly fought back the tears.

"You don't want to have another child?" she asked him, choking while she tried to control her voice.

"No," his answer was firm. "Besides, who would want to have a child with me?" he added with a chuckle.

Meredith swallowed a lump and cleared her throat, managing to keep a fake smile on her face. "What if… it happens?"

"I always take care of this and we're careful, aren't we?" he asked, not really waiting for an answer as he thought there was not need of reassurance.

"We are," she said, barely audible. Was he thinking she was on birth control? She wasn't and she also couldn't remember how many times they had used protection. Meredith dismounted him and just sat down beside him, sunk into the couch. She felt chills sweeping through her body as the panic took over. He would tell her to abort the baby if she told him.

Mark was still ignorant to Meredith's new spirit. It was obvious from her sudden sadness and coldness toward him that something was wrong with her. He put his arm around her shoulder and lay her down onto his lap. She didn't fight against his gesture as it felt right and soothing, despite the fact that he was refusing the idea of having another child. She let him ran his fingers through her hair and just listened to their breathings. Everything felt so loving and right, how could it be wrong? Meredith needed to break down. She stood up and flashed him a smile as she turned away. "I need to go to bathroom."

Meredith closed the door and locked it, sliding down on the floor, ready to burst into a quiet crying. Everything felt like crying inside of her, but her eyes stayed clear. She patted her jeans and took out her phone. With trembling fingers, Meredith scrolled down and pressed dial as she reached to the number she was looking for.

"Hey," Cristina's voice answered.

"He doesn't want the baby," Meredith said quietly.

She heard Cristina sighing and a brief silence followed her statement. "So you told him," she said.

"No," Meredith answered.

Another brief silence followed before Cristina replied. "Then how do you know?"

"He told me,"

"He told you he didn't want to have your children?" Cristina asked, confused.

"He doesn't want to have more children. Alicia is enough," Meredith explained. "What do I do?"

Cristina answered with a sigh. "I had enough, Meredith. You need to tell him you're carrying his baby or you need to abort it. You will start showing soon so you need to make a decision. Stop asking me what you should do. You already know my answer. Now it's your time to decide." That being said, the line went dead.

Meredith stayed there, staring ahead in blank.

"Ally, where did you get there?" Mark's shout made Meredith snap back to reality.

"My kitten. See? I have a kitten," Alicia's squeals filled nosily the apartment. "I am so happy, Daddy! I don't know what name to give her. Help me, Daddy!"

Meredith listened, waiting for Mark's answer and as his answer was late to come, she knew he would soon burst. Now she had other reasons to be worried about.

"Meredith!" A loud thud hit against the bathroom door.

Meredith stumbled up on her feet and bit her lip as she looked at the doorknob.

"You're hiding, aren't you?" Mark asked, nervous.

Meredith took a deep breath and unlocked the door. As she opened it, Meredith met Mark's glare as he stood there with is arms folded across his chest.

"She's happy," Meredith murmured, flashing a smile, and walked past him.

"You bought her a kitten?" Mark snapped.

"Meri!" Alicia came running to Meredith, carefully holding her kitten to her chest. "Oh Meri! I love my kitten," she squealed happily and hugged her kitten. "It's so pretty and soft and white and it licked my hand," she trailed off, giggling.

"It's a she," Meredith giggled and knelt in front of Alicia, caressing the kitten. "So think about a name for a she."

Alicia threw an arm around Meredith's neck and started kissing her all over her face. "Aren't you sick anymore?" Meredith laughed.

"No," Alicia smiled brightly and shook her head.

Meredith had tears in her eyes as she looked at the girl's happiness and her cute sleepy face. "You know, you need to take good care of her and feed her and clean after her."

"I know, I know!" Alicia quickly reassured her as if she was afraid that Meredith would take the kitten back. "I take care of Meredith and Derek," she pointed out, referring at her fishes.

Meredith smiled and pulled her into her arms, hugging her and breathing her in. "You're such a good girl, Ally," she said softly.

"You are good too, Meri," Alicia smiled. "You're the best!" she squealed and expressed her excitement with another hug. Then she hugged her kitten and kissed the top of her head.

Meredith stood up and saw Mark glaring at them. "If you don't want her to keep the kitten, then tell her," she said. "You promised you would buy her a kitten and I was sure you wouldn't keep your promise."

"Daddy," Alicia said worryingly as she tugged on his pants to have his attention. "Please don't take my kitten," she begged him. "I love her."

Mark sighed, frustrated. He never could say no when she looked so angelic at him. "I am not going to clean up after her and I won't feed her," he warned both of them.

"I bought the things she needs," Meredith said. "They're in my car. I will go bring them."

When Meredith returned upstairs with the things she had bought, she found Alicia and Mark in the living room. Mark looked bored as he stayed on the couch with the kitten onto his lap while Alicia was knelt in front of him, cheerfully caressing her kitten. "How about Lola?"

"If you like it," Mark answered flatly.

"How about Soco?" Alicia asked again. "Or Boco. Maybe Coco?"

"Why don't you try names with more than 4 letters?" Mark asked.

"That's difficult, Daddy," Alicia let out a defeated sigh.

"Oh God!" Mark groaned loudly, running his hands through his hair. He looked up when he heard someone's giggle. "My daughter is retarded."

"You're underestimating her," Meredith laughed as she made her way to the couch. She sat down next to Mark and ran her hand over the kitten's soft fur. The kitten purred as she stood up and moved on Meredith's lap.

"She likes you," Alicia squealed, jumping on her feet. She climbed up the couch and settled between her Daddy and Meri. She knelt and took Meredith's face in her hands, kissing her. "Thank you, Meri!" Then she turned and jumped on her father's neck. "Thank you, Daddy," she rewarded her daddy with many kisses as well.

"I guess you have a kitten now," Mark chuckled.

Alicia nodded happily. "She's white and very pretty. I love her so much!"

"You didn't tell me how was the party," Meredith said, "Besides the fact that you and your daddy ate lots of candies, I don't know if you had fun."

"I had fun. We danced a lot. Do you want to see?" Alicia smiled widely as she excitedly waited for Meredith to say yes.

"I do," Meredith giggled, curious to see what Ally had in her mind.

Alicia climbed down the couch and turned to face them. "We danced Jungle Book, look!" she announced. Alicia turned around, straightened her back and started walking high and mighty while singing, "Oh, I wanna be like you/I wanna walk like you… uh..." she paused for a second to remember the rest of the lyrics and they started strolling around again. "Talk like you/ You'll see it's true/ An ape like me…" she stopped again for a brief moment and restarted. "Can learn to be human too." She stopped and turned smiling to the grown-ups, making a bow. "Did you like it?"

Meredith and Mark looked at each other, smiling, and then both burst into laugh.

"I was pretty," Alicia frowned, offended with their reaction.

"You were the cutest ape in the jungle," Mark leaned forward and pulled her to him, bringing her onto his lap.

"How about your Daddy, did he have fun at your party?" Meredith asked her.

Alicia looked at her and shrugged, confused. "My friend Anna says he's very pretty," she stated with a giggle.

"Aww," Meredith laughed teasingly. "Heart-breaker."

Mark chuckled and smirked at her. "Only if she was 20 years older." Meredith giggled. "You said you wanted to tell me something?"

Meredith froze as Mark remembered her of her problem. Million of words started running inside her head, all of them crushing against each other and making impossible for her to think clear. "I uh… maybe later? I uh… Ally is here and she… she has a kitten and uh… you wouldn't focus. I wouldn't focus… I don't know. I uh… later ok?"

Mark stared at her, confused with her stammer. "Ok."

Destiny decided.

In that moment, the doorbell rang.

"Are you expecting company?" she asked Mark.

"No," Mark answered, checking his watch. "And it's not an appropriate hour for visits," he said, standing up.

**--**

**N/A: This was Chapter 31 - part 1, named Decisions. There will be a second part and you'll find out what decisions Meredith and Mark will take, and also who is the guest. Probably you know already.**

** I have to admit, I am very nervous about this update and the upcoming ones. Let me know if I go overboard. **

**Just in case... fasten your seatbelts**


	32. Decisions Part 2

**N/A: I thought it would be hard to write this, but everything went smoothly. I am seriously nervous about this and now I am impatiently waiting for your reaction.**

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**Chapter 32 – Decisions Part 2**

Lately, Mark had this nightmare. He was with his daughter in the evening, playing with her in living room, and Meredith was there with them as well. They were laughing and having a good time when the doorbell was ringing.

This evening felt like a déjà vu.

In his nightmare, the good mood ended when the doorbell rang. He remembered- in his dream- he was the one going to answer the door and as he did that, the responsibility of his acts were coming ahead. His mother would never approve a play like the one he had with Meredith. She would never agree to see her granddaughter, telling Mommy to a woman just to be able to say she had a Mommy.

"Mom," he smiled nervously at the short woman in front of him. His eyes flickered on the man behind Mrs. Sloan. "Derek," he said with surprise.

"I think we did well not shouting 'Surprise'," his mother chuckled as she glanced back at Derek.

The woman stood on tiptoes, embracing her son, and kissed him on the cheek. "It's good to see you too, Markie," she said sarcastically. She ran her fingers through her short, blonde dyed hair and shook off a few drops of rain, doing the same thing with her beige denim jacket. "I've never liked the rain, but oh well… hence the ferryboats and my granddaughter," she laughed.

"Where's our little princess?" Derek asked as they both walked inside. "She might be happier to see us than her Daddy is."

"I am happy to see you," Mark grumbled and started walking ahead, leading their way to living room. He was happy to see them, but he was also panicked. What would mother say about Meredith's presence there? He knew actually what she would say… or at least what she would think.

Mark knew the moment when he had to decide what he wanted and where his relationship with Meredith was standing just came.

Alicia was sitting on the couch caressing the kitten and still muttering some words… probably names for her kitten. When she noticed more people coming in, Alicia looked up. Her eyes widened with excitement and she covered her mouth with her hand to hold back the squeal.

"Grandma! Grandma!" she laughed and quickly climbed down the couch. She started running straight into her grandmother's open arms.

"My baby," Mrs. Sloan wrapped her into her embrace, hugging her as tight as she could. She pulled her away to take a better look at her little daughter. "Look at you. You've grown so much and you are so beautiful," her eyes sparkled as she admired the little girl in front of her.

"I missed you, granny!" Alicia sighed and threw her arms around her grandma's neck.

"You have no idea," she smiled, giving her another strong hug.

"Is that your Halloween costume?" Derek asked, wanting to have his presence there noticed.

Alicia took a step back from her grandma's arms and gasped as she looked up. "Deri! Deri!" she squealed and opened her arms.

Derek laughed and picked her up into a strong hug. "I will forgive you this time, but try Derek," he chuckled and pressed strong kisses on both of her cheeks.

Alicia laughed and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. "Yucky, Deri!"

"Yuky, Deri?" Derek laughed and started dropping sloppy kisses on her cheeks again.

Alicia laughed as she struggled in his arms. "Derek!"

Derek stopped and smiled at her. "How's my princess doing?" he asked her, running his fingers through her raveled hair. "Why isn't she costumed in princess?"

"I was a bunny," she said and then she adopted a hurt look. "But I am sick now."

"You're sick?" Derek narrowed his eyes as he examined her face closer. "You look fine. Hmm. Why do I have the feeling that someone ate too many candies this evening?"

Alicia smiled and shrugged. "You don't know, huh?" he laughed. Alicia shook her head, smiling.

"Look!" she said, pointing back to Meredith. "I have a kitten!"

Meredith had seen some pictures and she knew who those people were when they came in. She instantly had looked at Mark and read the panic in his eyes. She watched with admiration the reunion between Alicia and her family, but she also glanced from time to time at Mark. Same as him, she hadn't expected to have them there so soon. She didn't have the same fears as Mark, but she was nervous.

Mrs. Sloan and Derek noticed for the first time Meredith's presence there. Mrs. Sloan smiled genuinely and walked over to the place Meredith was standing, holding out her hand. "You must be Meredith."

"She's Meri!" Alicia confirmed and struggled so that Derek would let her down. She ran to Meredith and took the kitten from her hands. "She's Meri," she said, pointing to Meredith. "And she's my kitten," she introduced her kitten as well to her grandma. "She's a she and she doesn't have a name yet," she added with a sigh.

"Until you find a name for her, why don't you let me know Meredith first?" Mrs. Sloan laughed and smiled at Meredith. "She kept talking about Meri. It's nice to finally meet you."

"It's nice to finally meet Alicia's grandma," Meredith smiled, shaking her hand.

"I am Derek," Derek came by their side and held out his hand. "It's nice to finally meet you, Meredith."

"It's nice to meet you too, Derek," Meredith smiled.

Meredith instinctively glanced at Mark and this time she read the message from his expression. "I think I should go now," she said. "You just got here and have a lot of things to catch up with, so I should leave."

"Why?" Mrs. Sloan frowned, displeased. "I want you to say. I insist actually."

"Don't leave, Meri!" Alicia frowned as well. "You stay with us. Grandma sleeps with me, Derek sleeps on the floor and you sleep with Daddy," she came up with the solution to the presumed problem.

"Don't you have a spare bedroom? Why do I have to sleep on the floor?" Derek grumbled, acting unhappy with her solution.

"We have," she nodded. "You can sleep there," she shrugged.

"You don't really care about me," Derek replied with a chuckle.

"No, I should leave now," Meredith excused herself as Mark kept insisting with the glares for her to leave. "You haven't seen each other for a long time and you have a lot to catch up with so… I should leave," she trailed off and headed for the chair to take her jacket and bag.

"Please don't leave now, Meredith," Mrs. Sloan asked her softly. "You've been part of their life lately so if there's anything to catch up with, then you should take part and fill the omissions they make."

Crystal Sloan made a step towards her and gently touched her arm. "I know you don't know us and you must feel uncomfortable with us," she stopped and smiled embarrassed. "I think I am exaggerating. I just don't want you to believe we're chasing you out."

"I don't…" Meredith wanted to reassure her, but Alicia cut in. She came by Meredith's side and took her hand.

"Come see my room, Grandma!" she suggested, tugging on Meredith's hand to follow her and show her grandma the way to her room.

Meredith gave Mark an apologetic look before she trailed after Alicia, closely followed by Crystal.

"Oh Ally!" Crystal exclaimed excitedly as they walked into her room. "You room is so… messy," she chuckled.

"That's her," Meredith laughed. "Not even her Daddy is this bad."

As she stopped from laughing, Meredith noticed how Crystal was smiling at her. Crystal took her jacket off and laid it on the bed as she stepped inside and looked around her. "Mark is a lout," she smiled knowingly at Meredith, waiting for her to agree.

Meredith chuckled and nodded in agreement. "He is."

"Despite this and I am sure, despite other insults he brought you, you're still here with them," Crystal stated.

Meredith felt her cheeks burning of embarrassment and looked away. "Alicia is adorable."

"She is," Crystal agreed. "Nobody stands so much for a child. Unless that child is its own child."

Meredith looked down at her shoes and didn't answer to that as she knew what Crystal was talking about.

"Anyway," Crystal added, in attempt of making the situation less awkward. "I appreciate all the help you give them. Especially for Ally."

"I love Meri," Alicia stated while she was digging through a box with toys, probably looking for things to show to her grandma.

"We know you do, Ally," Crystal chuckled.

Alicia sighed loudly and stood up. She walked over to her bed and reached for her stuffed toys.

"Look, Grandma! Lolo!" she said, giving her the stuffed dog. "Do you remember, Lolo?"

Crystal took the stuffed dog and smelled its scent; Alicia's scent. "Of course I remember, Lolo. Who is that?" she asked, looking at the old stuffed rabbit Alicia was holding.

Alicia giggled, giving it a hug, and then she held it up for her Grandma. "He's Bambi. It was Meri's."

"Aww," Crystal laughed. "That was very nice of you," she smiled at Meredith.

"I am a little too old to sleep with stuffed toys," Meredith giggled.

Alicia cheerfully started dancing around, swinging her kitten in the air. Meredith gasped as she saw her doing that. "I didn't buy the kitten to torture it. It's a poor animal," she scolded.

Alicia stopped and giggled, hugging her kitten. "I have a pink ribbon for her. She will look like in the picture," she grinned proudly at the two women.

"I brought a small basket for her to sleep in. Why don't you let her sleep for a while? I am sure she's tired."

Alicia looked disappointedly at Meredith and then down at her kitten. She sighed and put the kitten onto her bed. "Stay here," she told her. The kitten stood up and stretched her body, mewing, before she walked in the middle of the bed and nestled there.

"Was it you who bought her the kitten?" Crystal asked her, impressed.

"Yes," Meredith smiled. "Mark promised he would buy her a kitten. Actually, he accidentally promised. The deal was she would receive the kitten when you would be here, but then you called and said you would be late and Ally wasn't very happy. It's a fortunate coincidence; I brought the kitten the day you arrived. Probably Mark was already planning to kill me," she giggled.

Crystal smiled and nodded in agreement. Her suspicions about her son's relationship with Meredith proved to be real, at least somewhat real.

While Alicia was with Meredith and Crystal in her room, her Daddy stayed in living room with Derek, mainly talking about New York.

"She's special," Derek stated. Mark looked at him, confused, and Derek glanced towards Alicia's bedroom.

"She's nice," Mark grumbled.

"She's not just nice," Derek pointed out with a chuckle. "It was about the time, Mark."

Mark let out an annoyed groan and walked over to the couch, sinking in it. "I don't want to talk about Meredith," he grumbled.

Derek wasn't going to let him get away so easily. He sat down next to him and stared at him, smiling. "We always talk about them, why can't we talk about her? Why are you so cold?"

"Can you be less annoying?" Mark snapped.

Derek frowned. "Are you ashamed of your relationship with Meredith?"

That was a straight and smart question. It hit him straight into the sensitive spot. He couldn't delay the answer any longer and the first person he had to answer about his feelings for Meredith was himself. The answer was simple; he liked Meredith and she was indeed special. Admitting that answer didn't seem difficult; the hardest part was to admit it aloud in front of the others and in front of Meredith.

Two things were certain at this point: Mark was in love with Meredith and Mark didn't have to courage to say it.

"I am a man," Mark started grumbling, "and I have needs. She was more than willing to help me with _everything_, so I would have been stupid not to take advantage of her."

Derek was speechless and staring at him, stunned. He wasn't the only one doing that. Meredith and Crystal were just coming out of Alicia's room when they overheard that.

"Meredith," Mark froze and felt chills of panic sweeping through his body when he saw her.

Meredith was standing stone still and her eyes looked lifeless as they stared at him. Slowly they started feeling with tears and she hardly regained the control over her body.

"Mark," Crystal scowled.

Meredith put a hand over her stomach as she felt the urge of throwing up. She managed to push back the nausea, refusing to humiliate herself more than she had already done it. "I should leave now," her words were barely a whisper.

She jerked her sight from Mark, refusing to look at him anymore. His words were still echoing inside her head and his presence there was too much.

"I am sorry, Meredith," Crystal said softly, touching her arm. She was obviously embarrassed by her son's words. "Stay and talk, please."

Meredith jerked her arm away angrily. "No more talk!" she snapped. "I just had enough of it." She stumbled to the chair where her things were and picked them up.

Alicia started at Meredith's nervous burst and just then, she noticed the tension between the grown-ups. Of course, she hadn't paid attention to her Daddy's words about Meredith, so she didn't know how hurt Meredith was feeling. She understood what was going on there only when she saw Meredith gathering her things.

She ran to her, scared and patted her leg. "Where are you going?" she asked her fearfully.

Meredith put the jacket over arm and the bag on her shoulder. It was pointless to wipe her eyes when tears were streaming out like a river. She knelt in front of the girl and smiled, "I need to go now, because I am not feeling very well," she hardly fought back the sobs as she spoke. "Your grandma is here now, so you should be happy. She loves you a lot," her voice broke and Meredith looked down while wiping her face. "And your Daddy loves you too. Be a good girl, ok?"

Meredith's tears were now reflecting in Alicia's eyes. "You love me too," she cried.

"I do," Meredith smiled and more tears streamed out of her eyes. "I always will," she sobbed and leaned forward, kissing Alicia on the forehead. From that moment, she tore her eyes from the girl, stood up and turned around as she headed for the door.

Alicia stood there and watched her leaving, frozen and crying quietly. Her eyes were filled with tears that were soon washing her cheeks. A moment after Meredith had disappeared out the door, Alicia burst into a loud cry and ran to the door. "Meri!" she shouted and hung on the doorknob to open the door. As she did that, Derek scooped her into his arms.

"Don't, Ally," he said softly and put her down when they returned into the room.

"Why?" she asked everyone between sobs. "Why did she go? Why was she crying?" she asked, desperately trying to understand what was going on. She had thought Meredith would stay over night as she always did. "She was sad," she muttered.

"Al," Crystal said softly, kneeling by her side. "It's ok, sweetie," that was the most inappropriate thing to say in that moment, but she couldn't find an explanation.

"She was sad because I played too much with the kitten," Alicia was having her suspicions, far from the real ones, and she was feeling guilty for that.

Crystal couldn't stand to hear that, especially when Mark was responsible for all those tears and all that pain. "That's not true, Ally."

"Yes, it is," Alicia cried. "Sometimes I am bad girl and nobody likes bad girls."

"Hey, never say that again," Crystal insisted. "You're not a bad girl. Your father said some bad things about Meredith and Meredith didn't like what he said."

Alicia looked at her father with the most deadly glare she could show at that age. She stomped towards him and stopped in front of him. "You always make her sad and cry," she reproached. "Go say you're sorry! And buy her flowers and candies!" she demanded sternly.

Mark would have never accepted such tone from his daughter, but this time he couldn't blame her. "Al,"

"No, Daddy!" Alicia yelled nervously, hitting the floor with her foot. "Bring her back. I want, Meri!"

"Don't raise your voice at me," Mark said calmly.

Alicia wiped her face with the back of her hands, keeping the glare in her eyes. "I hate you, Daddy! You are a bad man and I don't love you anymore! You scared Meri away and I love Meri! She was my mommy and now I don't have a mommy. It's your fault! I hate you!" she blared out at him, the anger in her voice sustaining her words. She started hitting him with her fists, but those didn't hurt him as much as her words.

"I hate you! I hate you!" Not those words hurt so much. Meredith once told him how Alicia might feel if he kept pushing the women she loved away. Those weren't the exact words but the content was the same. He hated she had been right about that, but the most, he hated himself for letting them become real.

His hands were shaking and his brain was shaking as well, because of the anger. He didn't realized when his hand started rising and hit against the delicate cheek of his daughter. As he did that, Mark froze, terrified, and stared into his daughter's eyes as she held her cheek with her hand.

It was a short silent moment- but which felt like an hour long- when everyone was frozen.

Mark couldn't stand to see his angel afraid of him, the terror she was looking at him now. "Al," he said softly, pleading with his eyes as he knelt in front of her.

Crystal took her into her arms before Mark could touch her. In that moment, with her face sunk into her grandma's neck, Alicia burst into a hysterical cry.

Derek was by Mark's side, holding him back, though Mark didn't seem to want to hurt his daughter again.

"Take this a threatening, Mark," Crystal said. "If you don't make order in your life and if you keep playing with your daughter's feelings, I am going to ask for her full custody and you will be allowed to see her on weekends and holidays only. What you've just done is the lowest thing I ever thought you could. You'd better know what you want from your life if you want to keep your daughter."

"I didn't mean to," his words were barely a whisper.

"I know, but you did it anyway. You don't mean a lot of things, but they still happen," she retorted. Carrying Alicia in her arms, Crystal turned and headed towards Alicia's bedroom.

"I want to go to Meri!" Alicia sobbed. "Grandma," she sobbed as she looked up at her. "I want to go to her and my baby."

Crystal stopped and made a sudden turn to the others, who had also heard what Alicia said.

"You said baby?" she asked her.

Alicia nodded, wiping her eyes. "Meri loves me. I want to be with her and the baby."

Crystal looked at Mark. "Is she pregnant?" she asked him.

Mark was staring at his daughter, completely shocked.

"She is," Alicia sobbed. "She has a baby in her tummy," she put her head down on her shoulder and kept crying.

"Fix this!" Crystal demanded as she turned and walked into Alicia's room.

Mark Sloan was a brilliant surgeon. He always had quick answers and solutions in the OR. In personal life, his brain was much slower. "I can't…I can't understand. A few minutes ago we were laughing and now… I hit my daughter, Meredith is pregnant…"

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Alicia slowly opened her eyes, heavy of sleep and crying. It was dark in her room when she woke up. She winced as she touched her swollen cheek and then she remembered everything. Meri had gone.

Alicia looked at the person who was sleeping with her and smiled. "Meri?" she whispered, reaching to touch her face. The murmur she heard then wasn't Meredith's voice. It was her grandma. Tears started welling her eyes again as she stood upright and looked around the dark room.

Two green eyes pierced the darkness from a chair across the room. Alicia pushed the blanket off her and climbed down from the bed. She picked her kitten up and hugged her. "You miss, Meri too?" she whispered. "I want to go to her. We're going to Meri."

Alicia put the kitten back down in the chair and through darkness, she recognized her backpack. She put it on her shoulders and took the kitten.

There was light coming from the kitchen and low voices. Alicia stopped for a second and listened. It wasn't the voice she was looking for. In her bare feet, with her school backpack on her back and her kitten in her arms, Alicia headed for the door. She spotted her shoes by the door and picked them up. She knew she wasn't allowed to get out of the house barefoot. Alicia slowly opened the door and sneaked out of the apartment. She ran to the elevator and pressed the button, looking back at the door while she impatiently waited for the elevator to get there. As the door opened, Alicia stood on tiptoes to reach for the button she knew it would take her downstairs. She whimpered as the door refused to close and take her downstairs. She insisted until the door closed and the elevator moved.

Alicia put the kitten down and sat down in a corner to put the shoes on. She hadn't learned yet how to tie her shoes, so it didn't take her long to stand up and pick her kitten in her arms. The door opened and loud voices started her. Alicia sneaked her head out and saw the door attendant and two other men arguing over something nearby the elevator. They weren't yelling at her, so Alicia sighed and walked out of the elevator. She passed past them and none noticed the little girl as she climbed down the stairs and struggled to push the door open.

As she walked out on the street, Alicia shivered and held the warm kitten tighter to her chest. She looked at sidewalk she was standing on, at the quiet street and its light. Everything looked so huge. Things didn't look so huge when she coming outside with her Daddy and Meri.

Alicia whimpered and took a step forward, scared as she didn't know which way to walk. She remembered which way her Daddy's car was taking it, so she started walking that direction. Meredith was living somewhere out there.


	33. What you want

**N/A: Thank you so much for your encouraging reviews. I will try to keep up this pace with the updates as I only have four or five chapters left from this story. I hope I will have the next chapter ready by Monday.**

**You might say I exagerated after these chapters but, in this story, Mark needs a strong slap from life to become wiser and be happier. Not all of the remaining chapters will be this dramatic, so bear with me.**

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**Chapter 33 – What you want**

Mark had his head well pressed against the kitchen table while his arms were wrapped around his neck. He was still struggling for a decision.

He rose his head with a sudden movement and stared ahead blankly. "I have to talk to Meredith," he mumbled.

Derek – who had stayed all this time with him- sighed with relief and muttered, "Finally."

From the blank stare, Mark's eyes moved on Derek as he heard his voice. "What if…" he mumbled, but stopped quickly as he didn't dare to form the question entirely.

"What if?" Derek snapped nervously. He thought Mark had finally started judging maturely, but he proved to be still unsure of his decisions. "What if lightening strikes you, what if you screw something in the OR and your career is ruined… there a 'what if' to all the things in this life and if we keep asking ourselves what if we chock with food then we would stop eating. You can't stop eating, you cannot stop breathing because you're scared of pollution. You can't stop taking risks. That's what our life is based on, risks. Give me an example of a time when you risked and life turned miserable?" Mark opened his mouth to answer, but Derek held up his hand, stopping him, as he knew what he would answer. "You trusted her and she betrayed your trust by leaving you. See the half filled of the glass. She left Ally with you. _If _Meredith will do the same, then you will be alone with two children. You cannot be sure of this and you'll never know how it ends if you don't try."

Mark had furrowed his brows while he listened to Derek's lecture. He was right. Mark ran his fingers through his hair, sighing exhaustedly, and stood up. He checked his watch and muttered under his breath, "It's past midnight," and his thoughts quickly ran to Meredith. Had she managed to fall asleep or how bad the pain felt? He asked himself.

"It is late," Derek agreed. "Maybe you should wait the morning."

Mark sighed and nodded. "I will go check on Ally," he mumbled and walked out of the kitchen.

Mark slowly pushed the bedroom door open and quietly walked inside, heading to Alicia's bed. The first thing he spotted was his mother's silhouette, sleepily lying on the bed. Mark narrowed his eyes as he noticed the empty spot beside her. He touched the place as if he wanted to make sure that his daughter's little frame wasn't lost between sheets, but everything felt flat beneath his fingers.

"Al?" he asked in whisper, looking around the room. Maybe she was curled up in a corner. It was dark inside but he could easily see that Alicia wasn't there. "Alicia?" Mark asked louder this time.

Crystal woke up and sleepily stood up. "What is it?"

Mark turned the lights on and gave a better look to the room. "Where is Ally?" he asked, now bending to look under the bed.

Panic washed over as Crystal looked beside her. "She was sleeping here with me."

As he convinced himself that Alicia wasn't in her room, Mark stormed outside and barged inside his. "Ally?" he asked, looking around.

Alarmed by the panic from Mark's voice, Derek came to see what was going on. "You can't find her?" he asked, also stepping inside and looking around.

"No," Mark froze in the middle of the room, panicked.

"Maybe she's at the bathroom," Crystal suggested.

Mark shook his head. "The doorknob is not working so well and she can't open the door by herself, unless it's already open."

All three of them stormed out of the room and headed to the bathroom. The door was closed, but Mark still gave a look inside. Everyone started searching in every possible place.

Derek suddenly stopped, thoughtful. "When Meredith left…" he mumbled, rewinding that moment inside his head. Everyone stopped and looked at him. "She ran to the door and wanted to go after her," he pointed out.

The next second Mark was at the main door and found it unlocked. "Damn it!" he snapped angrily. "I forgot to lock it."

"Maybe she didn't get that far," Crystal said, trying to stay hopeful, though many dark thoughts were running through her head in that moment.

"Her side of bed was cold," Mark grumbled.

"Let's go check the staircase and ask the door attendant if he saw her," Derek suggested. "Though I am sure he wouldn't have let her go outside by herself. She must be somewhere in this building."

"Mom, stay here in case she… returns," Mark said and together with Derek left the apartment.

While Derek took the stairs to make sure that Alicia wasn't hiding there, Mark took the elevator and went down in the main lobby to ask the door attendant.

"Mr. Sloan," the man started, not expecting to see him there at that hour.

"Have you seen my daughter?" Mark asked him.

"Ally?" the door attendant asked, confused. It was a bedtime hour for all the children, so why would he saw the girl? Then he seemed to have understood. "Oh,"

"Have you seen her or not?" Mark demanded, though it was obvious that he hadn't seen Alicia.

"No. I am sorry, sir! Is there something I could do to help?" the man offered, visibly worried about her too.

Mark sighed loudly as he ran his hands through his hair and stormed through the main door, straight into the street. He stopped and looked around at the quiet street. "Ally!" he shouted and the silence led the echo further. He ran to each side of the sidewalk and looked at the empty streets. There was nothing but silence. "Ally," he murmured as tears of fear filled his eyes. As the wind blew, Mark shivered and tucked his arms around him. He looked up at the cloudy sky and he was grateful it wasn't raining. Terrible pictures ran through his mind in that moment as he imagined his little girl alone on the streets, during the night. "Ally!" he shouted once more, without waiting for an answer. Resignedly he walked back to the building.

As he walked inside, Derek showed up and a little hope grew. "I couldn't find her," Derek shook his head. The hope died in great pain. "We need to call to the police."

The two of them returned in the apartment and Crystal didn't have to ask to know that they hadn't found Alicia. Despair was written on their faces.

Mark went to take the phone, but he stopped as he heard it ringing.

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Hugging her warm kitten to her chest, having her jaw trembling because of the cold weather and sobbing quietly, Alicia still looked like a brave girl. She walked straight ahead, as fast as her tiny legs allowed. As the sidewalk ended, the girl stopped and looked at the empty streets that were intersecting in front of her eyes.

"I don't know which way," she whispered. She looked down at her kitten and saw it sleeping. Alicia sighed and looked at the big streets again as if she was going to remember which way she should take it. "I don't know what to do," she whimpered. "She doesn't live far," Alicia murmured in encouragement and, despite the fact that another sob broke inside her chest, she turned to the right and started walking along the sidewalk again.

She gasped and jumped aside when a car ran past her on the street. She stopped and watched the car disappearing on the street she had come from. It was past midnight and almost no car was passing by at that hour. The desolate street and the muffled sirens- coming from further streets- were frightening the little girl. Despite this, she stayed brave, swallowed her fear and started walking again. A short wind blew over her and she shivered and winced as the wind brushed against her swollen cheek. She kept walking wherever her feet were leading her. She didn't know the road to Meredith's house, so she trusted her feet would take her there somehow.

Alicia hadn't tied her sneakers and that made the walking uncomfortable, soon she started feeling the pain in her legs. She hadn't walked that far, but for her short legs, that felt like an endless road. She stopped in front of a building and looked at its unbelievable height; she had to make a step behind not to fall as she tried to look at its roof. For the first time, fear and despair showed up on her face as she looked around her. Nobody. She felt tired and cold, so she decided to sit down on the stairs. The kitten stood up onto her lap and purred, stretching her body. The kitten brushed against Alicia's body, looking for her affection. Alicia gently caressed her soft spotless fur and sighed, while tears started to fill her eyes. "I don't know where Meri lives," she mumbled. The kitten settled onto her lap, close to her stomach, and went back to sleep. Alicia hugged her knees with both arms and hid her face in her lap. At first, a loud sob came out muffled and then, her crying. She was lost and scared.

Alicia started scared when she felt a light touch on her shoulder. She hadn't heard when a car stopped in front of the building. She looked up, with frightened eyes and her cheeks stained by tears.

A young woman was crouched in front of her, watching her worriedly. "What happened, sweetie?" she asked her in a soft voice.

Alicia didn't answer right away. She first looked straight into that woman's eyes, looked at her features and then at her short brown hair.

"I think I am lost," her voice murmured between sobs.

The woman looked at her untied snickers and her pajamas, then at her messy hair. Then she noticed the swollen cheek, and her eyes grew in horror. "What happened to you?" she asked, outraged, wanting to touch her face, but Alicia pulled away.

"My Daddy hit me," Alicia cried, covering her cheek.

"Did you run away from home?"

Alicia nodded. "I am going to Mommy. She loves me. I want to be with Mommy and the baby."

The woman sighed, visibly worried. "You don't know where your Mommy lives and you got lost." Alicia nodded.

"Come with me," the woman said, smiling softly, and held out her hand.

Alicia hid her arm away, showing her fear and refuse.

"You can't stay alone on the street," the woman tried to explain.

"You're a stranger," Alicia frowned.

The woman laughed a little. "You are alone in an unknown place and you're scared of a person who might help you?" she smiled and shook her head. "You have to come with me. I can't leave you alone here."

Alicia screamed and quickly stood up, starting running when the woman took her by her arm.

"Hey! Don't run!" the woman shouted after her.

Alicia cried and holding tightly her kitten, she ran as fast as she could. She didn't run much and two arms grabbed her, pulling her off the sidewalk.

"Don't be scared," the woman pleaded her softly, while Alicia screamed and struggled to escape from her arms. "Please," she quickly put her back down and turned her to look at her. "Look," she fumbled through her jacket's pocket and took out a wallet. "See this girl?" she asked, showing her a picture of a little girl. "She's my baby girl. She's a little younger than you are. I won't hurt you, I promise. I just want to help you."

Alicia calmed down as she watched the photo. Her eyes were drowned in tears, so she ran the back of her hand over them to wipe them.

"Probably your parents have noticed you are missing already," the woman muttered under her breath. "We're going to the Police station and…"

"No, no!" Alicia pleaded her, crying. "I am a good girl."

The woman smiled softly. "I am sure you are, but they can help you find your Mommy. Besides, they need to know what happened to you," she frowned at Alicia's swollen cheek.

"I don't want to go there. What if they arrest me?"

The woman giggled and shook her head. "They won't."

"I know where Mommy lives," she said.

"You do?" the woman smiled, knowing she was lying.

"I do," Alicia nodded. "She lives in a house."

"Do you know where that house is?" the woman asked her and Alicia looked down at her shoes as she shook her head.

The woman stood up and took off her jacket. "Put this on because you're freezing," she said, wrapping the girl with her jacket. "Is this your kitten?" she asked her.

"Yes," Alicia answered quietly.

"It's pretty," the woman smiled and caressed the kitten's head. "What's its name?"

Alicia nodded and answered quietly, "She doesn't have a name. Mommy gave her to me."

"What's your name?" the woman asked her.

Alicia sobbed and sniffled before she answered. "Alicia Marie Sloan."

"That's a pretty name," the woman smiled. "Can I call you Ally?"

Alicia shrugged and snuggled with her kitten.

"My name is Amanda," the woman smiled and gently took her hand, shaking it. "What should I do with you?" she asked herself, sighing.

"Take me to Mommy," Alicia answered quietly.

Amanda smiled softly as she ran her fingers through Alicia's hair. "This is going to be a long night."

The woman stayed there, knelt in front of Alicia, thoughtful; Alicia was standing in front of her, with her eyes down at her shoes, now and then glancing up at the woman, waiting.

"My boss kept us at work until midnight, my husband called to tell me that our girl is running a little fever and now I found you," the woman voiced her thoughts quietly. "Happy freaking Halloween," she added, muttering under her breath.

"That's a bad word," Alicia grumbled, looking down at her shoes. "I was sick too," she muttered and shyly looked at Amanda. "I ate too many candies. Mommy is a doctor and she made me well."

Amanda listened carefully to what Alicia was saying and her face seemed to lighten up when Alicia said about her Mommy's job. "She's a doctor?" Alicia nodded. "Do you know to which hospital? People there have her contact information."

"I don't know," Alicia muttered.

Amanda sighed, thoughtful. "The nearest hospital is Seattle Grace," she muttered.

"There! There!" Alicia said quickly. "At Grace."

"Your mother works at Seattle Grace Hospital?" Amanda asked her, hopeful.

"Yes," Alicia nodded with a convincing gesture.

Amanda smiled and brushed the hair out of Alicia's face. "We are going to take my car to get there faster, ok?" Alicia nodded slowly. "Come here," she said as she stood up and leaned down to take Alicia in her arms.

Amanda carried her to her car, but Alicia started crying again as she opened the door. "Are scared?" Amanda asked her softly.

Alicia sobbed and nodded.

"I promise we're going to find your Mommy very quickly," Amanda pressed her lips against the girl's temple, comforting her. "Do you know what kind of doctor your Mommy is?" she asked Alicia as she strapped her in on the seat beside her. "The hospital is big and has many doctors."

Alicia let out another sob and ran her hand over her eyes to wipe them. "She cuts the people and sees their blood," she answered. "My Daddy does the same."

"Your father is a surgeon?" Amanda asked, visibly outraged to hear that.

"He is. He makes the people look pretty," Alicia answered. She sighed and slowly the tears stopped.

--------

The elevator door opened at the surgical floor. Alicia was too tired to walk, so Amanda carried her and her kitten all the way from the car to the elevator. As they stepped outside the elevator, Alicia gasped and struggled to get off Amanda's arms.

At the nurses' station, a blonde doctor was reading from a chart. She was a doctor Alicia knew very well.

"Izzie! Izzie!" she started crying again when she saw her.

Izzie stopped and looked at them. "Ally?" she gasped and sprinted to them.

Amanda put her down, so Alicia could run to Izzie, and stayed a step behind her.

"Ally," Izzie scooped her into her arms, very worried to see her in pajamas, wrapped into an adult's jacket and accompanied by an unknown woman. "What happened?" she asked, already examining her. She froze when she saw the swollen cheek. "Ally!" then her glared flickered on the woman who came with Alicia. "Who are you? What happened?"

Amanda hesitated a little, afraid of being accused of something, but then she took a step closer to Izzie and held out her hand. "My name is Amanda Raisen. I found her alone on the street," she explained.

Izzie shook her head once, stunned. "Alone? Ally, what happened?" she asked the girl, who was crying in her arms.

"I want to go to Meri!"

"Ally, who did this to you?" Izzie asked, gently touching her cheek, but Alicia couldn't answer because of the sobs that were breaking her voice.

"She said her father," Amanda said.

"What?" Izzie looked at her, shocked. "That's not possible. He would never do such thing. He adores her," she disagreed. "Ally, is it true?" Alicia nodded.

"She's looking for her mother," Amanda said. "She said she's a doctor."

Izzie didn't seem to be listening to her anymore as she tried to understand if all these were indeed real. "That's why Meredith came so upset," she muttered.

"Do you know her mother?" Amanda insisted.

Izzie snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Amanda. "Meredith is not her mother, but they are very close. She's here. She just arrived a few minutes ago." Izzie shifted Alicia on the other side of her arms and kissed her. "I am paging her right now. Thank you so much for bringing her here," she told Amanda.

Amanda frowned and shook her head. "I am not leaving. The girl has been abused."

"I am sure it wasn't anything serious," Izzie muttered, though she didn't believe those words either.

Amanda laughed sarcastically and almost started yelling at Izzie. "Nothing serious? What kind of doctors work here? Look at her cheek. Has she been kissed by her father?"

"Please, keep your voice down," Izzie said calmly. "I don't know what happened. Let me call Meredith."

Meredith was lying on a bench inside the locker room when Izzie paged her. She hadn't changed from her street clothes yet and she didn't feel like answering to that call. She didn't even know why she had chosen to go to the hospital instead of going straight to home. The pager went off again and this time, with a groan, Meredith picked it up and read the message. Izzie was paging her at the nurses' station, so there wasn't about any trauma.

She stood up and held still for a moment as she felt the dizziness whistling inside her head and then she went to see what Izzie wanted. As she got at the nurses' station, Meredith looked, confused, as she didn't see Izzie there.

"Meredith," she heard Izzie's voice calling her. She turned and her eyes locked instantly on the chair Izzie was sitting on, particularly on the girl in her arms.

"Ally," she breathed out and ran to her. "What happened?" she asked, alarmed to see her in that condition and at that late hour.

Alicia looked up when she heard Meredith's voice and started crying even harder as she held her arms up to go to her.

Meredith took her right away and hugged her. "What happened? What are you doing here?" she asked and, same as Izzie, she gasped when she saw Alicia's cheek. "What happened?" she demanded, looking at Izzie.

Izzie just looked at her, worried, and glanced at her right, where Amanda was sitting. "She's Amanda."

"Who are you?" Meredith asked. "What happened to her?"

"I found her crying on the street. She said she wanted to go to her Mommy. She ran away from home," Amanda explained, the best way she could at that late hour and after a day full of events.

"What happened to her face?" Meredith demanded.

Amanda looked at Izzie and let her answer. "Mark hit her."

"What?" Meredith snapped, shocked. "Impossible! He would never do such thing. He is a disgusting man, but he would never harm his daughter."

Amanda and Izzie just looked at her, neither of them capable of answering to that.

"Ally," Meredith said softly, looking for the truth.

"I don't love him anymore, Meri!" Alicia said, running the back of her hand over her face. "He doesn't love me. I love you and I want to stay with you and Grandma."

Meredith was too stunned to answer. She knew Mark was capable of many cruel things, but Alicia was the most sacred thing in his life. She refused to believe that he had touched his little angel in other way than a kiss.

"I called Mark," Izzie said quietly.

--------------

As she put the phone down, Crystal looked at her son. "She's at the hospital with Meredith."

"What?" Mark and Derek reacted in the same time, shocked. "Which hospital?" Mark demanded.

"Seattle Grace," Crystal asked and Mark was already heading to the door. "Mark, wait!" she hurried after him and grabbed him by his arm, stopping him. "Wait. She's fine…"

"And Meredith?" Mark asked, worried.

"She is fine too. A woman found Alicia on the street and apparently, Alicia knew to tell her that her … Mommy was a doctor," Crystal said what Izzie had told her.

"I am going there," Mark jerked his arm from his mother's grip, but his mother grabbed him back, tighter.

"Your slap was hard and… you hurt her… visibly," Crystal stammered. "It's not prudent to go there. Derek and …"

"She's my daughter!" Mark snapped. "Besides, I _need _to talk to Meredith!"

"Mark," Derek held him as well as Mark tried to loosen his mother's grip. "She's right. Alicia is scared and afraid of you right now. Probably she won't even want to go with you."

"She _has_ to!" Mark snapped.

"Don't scare her more than she already is," Crystal tried to explain. "Maybe she'll fell asleep on our way back. You can talk to her tomorrow when she will be calmer. To both of them."

"We'll reassure her that she will see Meredith tomorrow," Derek said.

Mark let his arm fell to his side, defeated. "Maybe she will come too. For Ally, at least," he mumbled.

--------------

Crystal barged through the hospital doors, closely followed by Derek. She stopped dead in her track when she spotted Meredith sitting in the main lobby with a little girl in her arms.

"Meredith," Crystal said softly as she and Derek walked up to them.

From distance, Alicia looked like she was sleeping, but as she heard the familiar voice she jumped upright and looked back at her grandma and Derek, frightened.

"No," she whimpered and sunk her face in Meredith's chest, clutching on her jacket. She knew they were coming after her, wanting to take her away from Meredith.

Meredith wiped her cheeks and weakly smiled at the two of them. "He hit her?" she asked in disbelief.

Crystal sighed and came to sit in the chair beside her. "He's not a bad man and definitely not a bad father," she let out another sigh and gone quiet for a while, watching her granddaughter's body shaking because of the sobs. "I don't know what's going on," she muttered.

Meredith took Alicia's hand and released herself from her grip. Alicia looked up, crying as she felt she was losing Meredith. Meredith hardly fought back the sobs as she smiled at Alicia, lovingly caressing her cheek. "I promise we'll see each other tomorrow. You need to go home and sleep. It's late."

"No, no," Alicia cried, pleading her. "I want to stay with you."

"Ally," Meredith bit her lip when she felt her lip trembling. She swallowed her tears and took Alicia's face in her hands. "He loves you more than anything in this world. I am sure he feels very sorry for what he did."

"No," Alicia cried, shaking her head.

"Ally," Crystal touched her granddaughter's arm, but Alicia protested, hiding her face again in Meredith's chest. Crystal didn't discourage and softly spoke, "I promise you will see Meredith tomorrow. Now it's late and we all have to go to bed."

"I…I sleep with Meri," her words came out muffled.

They knew nothing would convince the girl to go back, so Meredith took her by her arms and put her down in front of her. Alicia screamed and hugged Meredith's knees.

"Al, please don't do this," Meredith said, struggling to untie Alicia's arms from around her knees. She knelt in front of her and smiled, with tears glistering in her eyes. "You don't want to cause me trouble, do you?"

Alicia looked at her, confused. "I'll be nice," she muttered.

"I know," her tears filled with more tears at Alicia's sweet words. "But you need to go and stay with Daddy and Grandma."

"Why?" Alicia frowned.

"Because… because they had you before me," Meredith tried to explain.

"How did she get here?" Derek asked her.

Meredith wiped her eyes and weakly smiled at him. "A woman found her and Ally told her I was a doctor. I convinced her to go, because she was outraged by…" she glanced at Alicia's cheek.

"Al," Derek knelt beside them, hoping he would help. "Let's go home. Your kitten needs to sleep and so do you. You'll see Meredith tomorrow."

"No," Alicia refused firmly.

Meredith closed her eyes as she stood up and then she looked at Crystal and Derek. "Take her," her words were barely a whisper.

They new there was no other way than take her from there by force. Being stronger, Derek took Alicia up into his arms, fighting against the fists she was throwing in him. He started walking away quickly, while Alicia was shouting after Meredith.

Crystal lingered there a moment longer. "You're so pale, Meredith," she said, watching her with worry. "It's going to be all right. I am sure of that."

Meredith nodded sarcastically.

"Go home and get some sleep," Crystal suggested. Meredith just nodded once.

--------------

Mark was pacing nervously around the room when he heard the door opening. He ran to the door, but stopped quickly when Crystal gestured to be quiet. Alicia was sleeping in Derek's arms.

"She's finally sleeping," Crystal whispered.

Mark leaned down and just ran his fingers over her hair, afraid that even a soft touch might hurt her. It broke his heart in million of pieces to see the pain on her face as she slept and listen to her hiccups.

"And Meredith?" he asked, noticing Meredith's absence.

"She didn't look so good and I told her to go and sleep," Crystal said. "We'll go put her in her bed," she sighed and gestured to Derek to follow her into Alicia's room.

"Make sure you lock the door," Derek said as he passed past him.

Mark lay on the couch, knowing already that he wouldn't be able to sleep. His life felt calm and normal for a couple of weeks but then everything vanished in seconds. He was a horrible man, he thought about himself; Alicia's pain – emotional and physical-, Meredith's pain. He had everything he ever wanted for only a couple of weeks. He wanted to have them again, for a lifetime.

Mark heard a soft murmur coming from Alicia's room and he easily recognized the lullaby his mother was singing. He closed his eyes, listening to the sound, and slowly drifted to sleep.

The scene he had in front of his eyes was almost blissful. Somewhere around him a giggle was filling the room and then Alicia showed up running, followed by Meredith, who was chasing her to give her a sweater. He wanted to shout at Alicia to stay still, but then his eyes locked on Meredith's swallowed abdomen. It was the perfect picture, but painted in a poor color; grey and foggy.

Mark's eyes snapped wide open as he suddenly woke up from that dream. That dream becoming reality was what he wanted. He stood up and quietly went to check on his girl. She was sleeping curled up beside her grandma. He leaned against the doorframe and watched Alicia's frame, thinking. He couldn't wait until tomorrow to talk to Meredith.

It was late, but he had to try. Mark closed the bedroom door and taking his car key, he left the apartment, locking the door.

Downstairs, through two windows, a dim light was coming out. Mark stood in his cars, watching that light. As he watched it, he also saw a silhouette passing by those windows a couple of times. He couldn't tell if it was _her_ silhouette.

The front door opened and his breath stopped. He breathed again when he saw George O'Malley coming out of the house. But the panic took over quickly when he saw the despair and the hurry from George's gestures as he locked the door.

Mark quickly got out of the car and ran to him. "O'Malley, where's Meredith?"

George stopped, scared by the unexpected appearance. "Dr. Sloan."

"Is Meredith home?" he asked him.

George hesitated before he answered. "No. They called me from the hospital," he muttered.


	34. Everything changed

**N/A: Short note because it's passed bedtime and I don't want to fall asleep at work again. lol **

**I am not entirely happy with the way I wrote this chapter and this is the reason why it has taken me so long to update. I know I could have written it better, but I am not sure in how many weeks I could have finished it. It's not bad though. Just not as I had wanted it to be. Anyway, there are 4 more chapters left. Nothing major will happen until the very final scene. For the next chapter I planned a Christmas Eve chapter and the next one, the Christmas one. LOL I love Christmas. **

**I am not going to say when I will update again. I hope as soon as possible (I don't know when that is).**

**Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!**

**----**

**Chapter 34 – Everything changed **

Mark Sloan was only a few years old when he last said a pray. He used to do it before bedtime, each time he slept over his grandmother's house, who was telling him that angels would watch his sleep and help him wake up smiling.

Mark prayed all the time he drove to the hospital. This time he didn't pray for nice dreams or anything for himself. Meredith and Alicia were in his prayers.

The pain made him numb. He was exhausted and yet he felt like flying while he ran along the familiar hallways of the hospital; he was out of breath and yet he was breathing. His feet stopped instantly when met Izzie's Stevens worried eyes.

"Dr. Sloan," tears trembled in her eyes as she saw him coming.

Mark felt cold chills sweeping through his body and had to remember how to breathe and form words. He swallowed the big lump from his throat. "Where is she?"

"How… who told you?" Izzie stammered.

"Where is she?" Mark demanded when it was obvious that Izzie wouldn't tell.

George came out of breath as well, stopping beside Izzie. "He saw me leaving the house," he panted, resting his forehead against the island. "What happened?" he asked her when he was able to breathe evenly again.

"Apparently, she's pregnant. Very pregnant."

Mark had given up on finding out anything from Izzie. He wandered around, checking each room. Izzie's words sent another wave of chills through his body. She was still pregnant, he kept telling himself in encouragement. Then he saw her through a window. She was lying in a hospital bed, sleeping and looking like she could hardly breathe.

His feet were numb and they slowly managed to walk him into the room.

"What are you doing here?" Cristina greeted him with an angry hiss. She stood up, but didn't let go of Meredith's hand.

Mark couldn't have tell who exactly was beside Meredith's bed or if someone else was there. His eyes locked on her sleepy face, washed by drops of sweat. He stopped at her feet and felt tears flooding his eyes as he watched her painful sleep, the way she clutched on the blanket.

"Meredith," he said softly, pleading, as he walked beside her.

"Leave!" Cristina grabbed his hand when he wanted to touch her.

Mark jerked his hand off her grip and retorted with a glare. Nothing was going to keep him away from Meredith from now on. It hurt him… it killed him to see her pain, but he couldn't turn his back on her again and leave her. Mark took her cold and sat down, though there was no chair beside her bed. He knelt next to her bed and as he kissed her hand, he cradled it between his.

Still holding her hand, Mark stood up and sat on the edge of the bed, half-lying beside her. He gently ran his hand over her damp forehead, wiping the sweat off. "What's her condition?" he asked quietly, but still bossing.

Cristina was defeated by Mark's pain and softened her glare. "She's running fever and convulsions. They gave her a light sedative to help her calm down."

Mark glanced at Meredith abdomen and didn't dare to ask.

"She doesn't need more stress," Cristina said quietly, knowing what he wanted to hear. "She wants this baby and you'd better stay away."

Mark managed a faint smile as he looked down at Meredith. If rest and peace were what she and the baby needed, he could help them. He pulled a chair beside the bed and sat down, without letting go of Meredith's hand even for a second.

"Meredith," he whispered softly in her ear, gently brushing her forehead.

Meredith grasped on his hand and whimpered sleepily. "Mark," she murmured with a sigh.

Mark leaned to her, kissing her cheek, and whispered, "I am right here."

"I don't think she can hear you," Cristina muttered and glanced up at him, meeting his glare. She sat down in her chair, on the other side of the bed, also holding Meredith's hand. "The fever should go down in the next hour," she said quietly.

Holding her hand, Mark cuddled it to his chest and lay his head down beside her, praying once more. He kissed her hand and then her damp cold cheek, nuzzling through her hair as he listened to her breathing.

That hour felt like the longest hour of his life as he waited. That was also the longest and hardest night of his life; in just a few hours, his life turned into a nightmare and there was no one to blame for it but himself. His little angel running away from home, scared of him, the woman who bore with his insults just to show him how life uselessly passed past him was now struggling to keep her baby safe. Their baby. Mark lifted his head and looked down at her stomach. He gently freed his hand and barely touched the sheet as he ran it over her stomach. Their baby.

When Meredith moaned sleepily, Mark stirred up. He didn't know how long it had passed or if he had fallen asleep. Cristina was no longer beside Meredith's bed, the room seemed brighter and Meredith sounded calmer as she slept. Looking up at her, Mark brushed the hair off her forehead and kissed her. Her skin was warmer and she didn't seem to have fever anymore.

Mark briefly closed his eyes as he sighed with relief. The worst had passed.

If he could just make her forgive him now.

Meredith felt her head spinning and strong sensation of nausea hit her straight in the pit of her stomach. She grasped on the hand she was holding and squeezed her eyes shut, fighting against the urge to vomit. The nausea faded instantly as she thought about the hand she was holding. Someone was holding her hand back; a strong hand.

When Mark felt her spam, he jumped up and leaned down to her. Meredith didn't have to open her eyes to know who was holding her hand as his soft lips brushed against her forehead.

"Meredith," he whispered softly in her ear, knowing she could hear him now. "I am so screwed now. This night I broke everything I touched. Please look at me and tell me how to glue them back together."

Her body started shaking as sobs started building inside her chest. Mark ran his fingers across the corner of her eye and wiped a tear.

Meredith turned her head away and she opened her eyes just then. "I am in a sensitive condition now, so I can't take my pants off."

"I deserve this slap and I deserve more but, Meredith," Mark spoke pleadingly. He barely touched her cheek and she pulled away from his touch. "I didn't mean a single word from what I said. I am stupid. I admit it now!" Meredith refused to look at him. "I am more than stupid. You can call it. You can say whatever you want, I won't deny anything."

Meredith was unaware of the fact that she was still holding on his hand. She ran her other hand over her cheek, wiping the tears that rolled down from her eyes. "Nothing from what I would say will make me feel other way than a cheep slut and it won't make your daughter forget your slap so easily."

Once again, Mark Sloan was clueless; clueless and helpless. "What should I say? What should I do? You just tell me," he whispered pleadingly.

Meredith wiped her eyes, turned and looked straight in his eyes. "I am pregnant and I am keeping the baby," she told him as announcement.

Mark held her gaze, smiling weakly. "I know and you can have Ally too. You can have at least two more babies if you want to. I will help you with it. Meredith, just … I didn't want to cause this disaster."

Meredith stared at him, speechless for a moment. "You know."

"About the baby? Meredith, you're lying on a hospital bed and… Ally is not such a good secret keeper when she's in stress. Meredith," he said her name again pleadingly.

Meredith pushed his hand away and she turned her face from him. "You're feeling guilty or what? I am so tired, Mark! I am tired of you and tired of being your mockery each time you feel bored," she sniffled the tears back and swallowed the lump from her throat. "I had a crappy life and I am planning on making it better. For my baby."

"Our baby," Mark stopped her. "Our baby."

Meredith slowly turned her head and looked at him, with her eyes drowned in tears. "What… what do you want?" she asked, choking between tears.

Mark leaned closer to her, their lips inches apart from each other. "You. I want you and Ally. And the baby, our baby," he took her hand and their fingers intertwined as he put their hands on her stomach. "I am done with the cowardice, I swear."

Meredith chocked with the lump that formed again in her throat and burst into tears. Mark lay on bed beside her and gently pulled her into her arms, both crying their pain out.

Mark felt more relieved now that he could breathe her scent in again and feel the warmth of her body into his arms. He sunk his face in her hair and listened as her crying started slowing.

"I guess I should stop blaming _her_. I think I know why she left. I deserved it," Mark muttered quietly, talking about Natasha.

"No," Meredith shook her head. "Ally didn't deserve it." She spoiled her cheek against his strong arm and smiled. "I am so tired."

Mark leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "Sleep. I'll stay here with you."

---------

Mark walked into his apartment later that morning, a little more hopeful. He found Crystal knitting on the couch in living room and Derek reading a medical journal beside her. The place looked morbidly quiet to him.

"Mark," Crystal was the first to notice his arrival. "How's Meredith?"

"She's better now," he answered with a sigh, looking around him for something particularly. "She needs rest. Where is Ally?" he asked his mother.

Crystal and Derek shared at concerned look. "She's in her room," Crystal sighed, sounding exhausted. "She barely ate some toast this morning. She just sits in her room with the kitten."

Mark looked towards his daughter's room and watched the closed door. If he could just have her forgiveness as well, he would do everything differently from now. Mark took a deep breath, looking for strength to go and face his daughter.

He slowly opened the door and sneaked his head inside. Alicia was sitting in the middle of the bed, with her legs tucked beneath her, and absent-mindedly caressing the soft fur of her kitten. Her lifeless tore his heart sharply.

"Ally," Mark said softly, walking inside.

Alicia stirred from her trance and gasped when she heard her father's voice.

That was more painful than anything else was, to see his little angel afraid of him.

"Ally," Mark pleaded her softly.

Alicia's eyes filled with tears. This time it wasn't because of the fear for her father and Mark could see that too. Too many things happened in a short time and that had a strong emotional impact on her. Her eyes were filled with sadness instead of the joy that always made them sparkle.

Mark walked over to her bed and sat down on its edge, watching how his little daughter was comforting herself with her kitten. "I am so sorry, my angel. Come here," he spoke softly and held out his hand for her.

Alicia glanced at it, but stayed reluctant and caressed her kitten.

"You know I love you more than anything in this world," he added.

Alicia didn't look up as she quietly spoke, "You don't love Meri anymore."

Mark managed a weak smile. If that was the main cause for her pain, "I do love Meri. More than before."

Alicia slowly looked up at him and held his gaze as he gave her a reassuring smile. "I promise I'll bring Meri to live with us."

"Forever," she muttered.

"Forever," he reassured her.

"And we'll move in a big house," her voice seemed more lively.

Mark chuckled and slowly his heart eased. "We need a big house now. Grandma is here and soon the baby will arrive."

Alicia gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

"What?" Mark asked, a little alarmed by her reaction.

"You know," she muttered.

"About the baby?" Mark laughed. "Of course, I know. You told me."

"No, no!" Alicia crawled backwards on the pillows, firmly shaking her head. "It's a secret. I don't tell secrets," she frowned.

"You're a good secret-keeper," Mark reassured her, laughing at her. "But that's ok. Meri is not upset that your secret is out."

Alicia kept her frown as she looked at him with distrust. "She's not?"

"She's not," he smiled. "Come here," he said, holding out the hand again.

Alicia looked at his hand, then at him and back at his hand. She crawled on her knees and went to her father.

"Come here," Mark pulled her into his arms and Alicia immediately clutched with her fingers in his clothes.

"Daddy!" she started crying in his chest. "I am so unhappy."

"I know you are," Mark whispered with a sigh, holding her tighter into his arms. "I promise you won't be unhappy anymore. Meri will come with us to our big house and then the baby will come too and you will have a little brother or sister to play with in our big backyard."

Alicia sniffled back the tears and pulled away from her father's embrace. "I don't like boys. I want a sister."

Mark chuckled and wiped her stained cheeks. "Now there's nothing we can do about it. We'll just have to wait and see what comes out."

"She didn't take a baby girl in her tummy?" she asked, visibly disappointed.

Mark wanted to ask her if Meredith had told her about how babies get into their mommies' tummies but he was afraid that she might not know and then he would be the one who had to provide the answer.

"Meredith didn't feel so well last night so she had to sleep at the hospital. Let's go eat something and then we'll go see her," Mark said, changing the subject.

Alicia looked at him, worried, "My Meri is sick? I want to go to her now."

"She's not sick. She's just a little tired. Let's give her more time to sleep while we eat something." Mark stood up and held out his arms, waiting for her to jump down.

Alicia didn't move from the spot she was sitting on and looked at him, thoughtful. "I want to see Meri now," she muttered.

"She's sleeping now and you didn't eat anything this morning. I promise we'll go to her as soon as you finish eating," Mark reassured her. "Come now."

Alicia stood up, picked up her kitten and walked to the edge of the bed for her Daddy to take her into his arms.

Mark ran his fingers through her messy hair, rearranging it just a little. "I love you," he whispered in her ear and kissed her on the cheek.

Alicia kissed him back; it wasn't as strong as it used to be. "I love you too, but only a little bit."

Mark sighed. He didn't have her entire forgiveness.

"And when we move, we'll take a puppy," she suggested.

"Oh no, no! You're not going to trap me again. You have a kitten and two fishes. Let's not make the house look like a zoo," Mark retorted firmly as he carried her out of the room.

Alicia didn't comment. She knew better.

Her grandma made her favorite breakfast, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Half of her worries disappeared after her talk with her Daddy and she showed more appetite than earlier that morning. Alicia took a sip from her milk and carefully looked up at the grown-ups gathered around the table. "Can I have a cookie?" she asked them quietly.

Mark stood up and went to bring her the cookie jar.

Alicia unfolded a napkin, stood up on her chair and carefully opened the jar. Everyone watched her curiously, but didn't say anything and waited to see what she wanted to do. Alicia took out a cookie and put it down in the middle of the napkin. Then she took out another cookie and looked at the grown-ups. "I am taking one for the baby too," she explained and put the cookie down over the other one.

"Are those for Meri?" Mark asked her, amused.

Alicia nodded and sat down, carefully wrapped the cookies in that napkin.

"Let's take the whole jar," Mark suggested. "Maybe I will want to eat some too."

Alicia shook her hand while she still wrapped her cookies. "You can't eat cookies because you were a bad boy." She looked up at her grandma with a serious expression. "Right, granny?"

"Right," Crystal laughed. "And bad boys don't get cookies. Let them take the cookies and let's go get dressed," she said, standing up from the table. "We have to look pretty for Meri."

-------

The ride to the hospital was quiet. Derek had a few attempts of lighting up Alicia's spirit but he failed successfully as Alicia refused to answer to his jokes. She wasn't in the mood for bright and shiny until she wouldn't see Meredith and be in her arms again.

Derek went to talk to Dr. Webber, saying he would stop by and visit Meredith later, while Mark headed with his mother and Alicia up to the floor where Meredith's room was. As they got in front of it, Mark looked inside through the window and saw Meredith was sleeping.

He put Alicia down in a chair and knelt in front of her. "Remember, it's important not to start crying. She's very tired and she's not allowed to get upset in order to stay healthy, ok?"

Alicia listened carefully to her father and she nodded in agreement.

"I will wait outside," Crystal said, taking a seat on a chair close to the room. "I think you should go ahead.

Mark nodded and taking Alicia into his arms, he walked into the room. He her fingers digging into his shoulders and, as he looked at her, he read the worry on her face. "She's sleeping," he whispered in her ear. Alicia looked at him, not entirely convinced, and nodded.

Meredith wasn't deeply sleeping. She heard Mark's voice, talking to someone and she didn't have to open her eyes to know who was he talking to.

As she opened her eyes, Alicia was the first thing she saw. From her father's arms, Alicia watched her carefully. When she looked at her too, her eyes started glistering with tears.

"Meri," she cried and held out her arms to go to her.

"Al," Mark scolded, but carried her to Meredith's bed. "Don't cry," he whispered in her ear.

However, her tears were unstoppable. As Mark put her down on the bed, Alicia lay on Meredith's chest, hugging her and crying.

Mark knew why he had asked Alicia not to start crying. Neither of them needed more tears.

Meredith let tears quietly stream down her cheeks as she cradled Alicia to her chest.

Alicia looked up at her and touched her cheek with her fingers. "I was so scared, Meri! I was sad too."

Meredith wiped her cheeks and smiled, "I can see you're still sad."

Alicia sniffled and ran the back of her hand over her eyes. "Just a little bit," she hiccupped. "Are you sick?"

Meredith smiled and shook her head. "Not anymore. I am much better now. Don't cry, ok?"

Alicia sniffled again and nodded. "I brought you cookies but I don't know where they are."

"I am sure you'll find them," Meredith giggled.

"My Daddy promised me that you would move in with us to our big house," Alicia stated quietly, putting her head back down on Meredith's chest.

Mark had stayed at their feet while Alicia found the comfort in Meredith's arms. When Meredith looked up at him, he nodded and confirmed what Alicia had said.

Meredith slowly ran her fingers through Alicia's hair, sinking her face into it and breathing in its scent. "Never run away from home again. It was wrong to do so."

"Never," Alicia hiccupped again, though she was no longer crying.

"Promise?" she asked her.

Alicia looked up at her and nodded. "I promise, Meri! I can't wait to live together forever," she smiled weakly and threw her arms around Meredith's neck. "And my Daddy will buy me a puppy," she stated as she looked at her again.

"I didn't say that!" Mark retorted quickly. "I didn't promise her anything this time, I swear!" he told Meredith.

Meredith giggled and shook her head, "So nothing changed."

Mark smiled and walked over to her side. He sat down at the edge of the bed and gently stroked her cheek, "Everything changed."

"We'll see," she murmured.

Mark shook his head and leaned down to her, kissing her. "Everything changed."

Meredith smiled and looked down at Alicia. "How's the kitten doing? Did you find a name for it?"

Alicia stood up and nodded. "I think I am going to call her Izzie."

Meredith and Mark started laughing.

"At least she made a progress. A 5-letter name instead of 4," Mark laughed.

"It's a pretty name," Alicia grumbled, offended.

Everything changed.

----

**P.S.: I don't have time right now, but most probably I will update Let it change us after I finish with this one. I also have a new storyline for You will always remember. **


	35. Forever and ever

**N/A: I am very sorry for the delay. I had a major writer block for this fic. Probably because the story is coming to an end and everything changed. I hope this won't let you done. I honestly didn't like the way I started it, but in the end I think it's kind of nice. **

**Thank you to those who bear with me and my lackness of updates lately. I hope it is worth the waiting. 3 more chapters to go. Your reviews always bring the best out of me :)**

**------**

**_Chapter 35 – Forever and ever_**

Meredith held her eyes closed and tried to back out all the voices around her as Mark protectively held her into his arms, gently rubbing her waist. Being pregnant wasn't a heavenly thing as she thought it would be; especially after the small infection she had suffered the night of Halloween, the symptoms emphasized and held her in bed for another 2 weeks, closely supervised by Mark himself.

It was Christmas Eve now and they had just assisted to the ballet performance organized by Alicia's kindergarten with its young performers. It had been cute and amusing in the same time, even for Cristina, who came dragged by Meredith. The main purpose of the spectacle was not only for entertaining the children and their parents, but also a raise fund from the tickets selling. Dr. Bailey with her family and Chief Webber were present there, same as Meredith's friends. The only person missing from Alicia's night, where she played a small but successful role of a fairy, was her good friend Derek.

Meredith held her eyes closed and took several deep breaths before she opened her eyes and lifted her head from Mark's shoulder.

"Do you want me to go take Ally alone so you can go ahead with the others?" Mark asked her, gently brushing his hand against her cold cheek.

"We'll go together," she smiled weakly. She knew if Alicia didn't see her in backstage, she would get worried.

"Mom is already there," he said, gently taking her hand and helping her up. He firmly wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him as they headed for the backstage.

The place was crowded and any healthy person would have gone dizzy with the little girls' crying. Alicia's performance had been amazing and she had gracefully showed her talent, which thing couldn't be said about other girls who several times tripped and fell.

"Mommy!" Alicia's squeal easily distinguished from the rest of the noise. Meredith was still Mommy and Meredith to Alicia; she had started calling her Mommy when they were home too, but sometimes she was still Meredith.

"Did you see me? Did you see me?" she asked with the most brilliant smile ever. She was still wearing her purple fairy costume, which she didn't seem to want to take off, judging from Crystal's despair.

"Of course I did. I only could look at you and how beautifully you danced," Meredith praised her.

"You were actually the only one dancing on that stage," Mark laughed as he picked his daughter up, not paying attention to the frustrated mothers around him. "I think the other parents bribed the teachers to have their kids in this show," he stated with a disapproving frown. "And they were saying you wouldn't have time to prepare for it."

"Mark," Meredith nervously smiled at him, trying him to make him aware of the audience. "Let's help Ally change her clothes and leave. We have people waiting for us."

"We're decorating the Christmas tree," Alicia beamed happily.

"Izzie and George are going to help us and we also have a surprise for you when we get there," Meredith smiled at her. "So let's hurry a little bit."

Alicia frowned childishly at her, "But I like my fairy costume."

"Ally, it's cold outside," her grandma tried to explain. "You can't go outside dressed like this."

"Daddy," she tugged on her father's hand, looking for support as always.

"I agree with them this time, Al," Mark shook his head. "You don't want to wait for Santa with fever and taking pills, do you?"

Alicia frowned at him, but she didn't comment. She didn't like to have fever and feel sick. Crystal and Meredith helped Alicia dressing and gathered her things. They were almost done when Mrs. Kendrick approached them.

"Congratulations, Ally," she smiled down at her pupil. "You impressed everyone."

Alicia just couldn't get enough eulogies. She was on cloud 9 with everyone's congratulations.

"I hope next time you will consider this and give my daughter the main role," Mark replied bitterly.

Mrs. Kendrick looked embarrassed with Mark's reproach.

"Would you excuse him if I tell I dropped him several times in head when he was little?" Crystal tried to wipe the embarrassment.

Mrs. Kendrick and nodded politely. "Maybe he should be a little more subtle," she said. "In case you didn't notice, you are the only man in this room."

Mark looked up and indeed, for the first time, he noticed he was the only man in the room and there were several glares from the other mothers, whose girls he had offended.

"Subtlety is far from being one of his strengths," one of the mothers huffed while trying to dress her whiny girl.

"Like his daughter was any better. She was just lucky she didn't trip," another mother cut in.

"Hey," Meredith snapped at her. "It's not my girl's fault that yours has two left legs. You can scratch your face as much as you want. My daughter is much better than yours."

"Ok, we're leaving," Crystal cut in, when she saw Meredith involving in the fight too. "Let's not forget our children are still colleagues."

"It happens each year," Mrs. Kendrick wanted to reassure her. "Have a great Christmas, Ally. I hope Santa will bring you everything you've wished for."

"He already has," Crystal said, with a discreet smile for Meredith.

"I was a good girl," Alicia felt like she needed to mention.

"You were," Mrs. Kendrick agreed with a chuckle. "Happy Holidays," she wished to the grown-ups and shook their hands.

"Izzie! George!" Alicia went ahead running when she saw her other friends in the main lobby of the school.

George scooped her up and gave her a congratulatory kiss.

"Hi, you," Alicia said quietly, also noticing Cristina.

Cristina just rolled her eyes. "I guess you know now how your interns feel when you call them numbers instead of names," Meredith laughed.

"But I know her name," Cristina frowned. "It's Allison," she stated and surprisingly she seemed convinced of it and not joking. "It's not?" she asked when she saw Meredith's glare. "Whatever. I wore a dress and I watched the funny performance. One thing I admit," she said and looked at Alicia, "You were one of the best there."

"She was the best," Mark disagreed with a hiss and Crystal was ready to cut in as things were heading to a childish fight again.

"You need to learn what diplomacy is," Mrs. Sloan shook her head, disapproving them.

"I am wearing a dress, so I can't be diplomatic in this condition," Cristina grumbled. "Besides, I didn't fall asleep as the Chief did. My elbow hurts from how much I nudged him."

"His loss," Mark shrugged.

"Yeah, he missed all the fun," Cristina snickered, again referring at the girls' fallings.

"Dr. Bailey also wanted to congratulate you," Izzie said to Alicia. "She had to go because little Tucker was tired."

"We should head home too then. We don't want Santa to find us with an empty Christmas tree, do we?" Mrs. Sloan suggested, particularly looking at her granddaughter.

Mark drove ahead, leading the others' way to his new house. Shortly after Meredith was discharged from the hospital, Mark surprised her with the house he had bought for them. Meredith helped Crystal in choosing the furniture, but she decided to let her decorate the house after her taste. Crystal was fast and soon they all moved into the new house.

"This is a fine a house," Izzie managed to breathe out as she looked at the two storage house in front of her. It was dark outside, but the lights that Meredith and Crystal used for decorating the house, perfectly shaped the house and multi-colored the white walls.

"This is an extraordinary house in a neighborhood you won't get to live anytime soon," Mark replied smugly.

"Now stop with this," Meredith scolded. "It's just a house, after all. It has walls and windows and roof above it."

Mark rolled his eyes as he helped his girl outside, "But it holds 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms."

"Hmm," Cristina mused. "It sounds like you won't have any trouble in finding places for sex."

Everyone turned and glared at her and then they checked on Alicia's reaction. Alicia didn't look like she was paying any attention to them. She had a problem with one of her socks inside her boot.

She finally solved the disturbing problem and sighed as she glared up at the sky, "I hope it snows tonight," she muttered and then she started running to the door. "Hurry up!" she shouted impatiently after the grown-ups. "We need to hurry."

Meredith, Mark and Crystal smiled at each other as Alicia passed past a car stopped in front of their house without noticing it.

Alicia jumped, holding on the doorknob while her Daddy struggled to push her away and let him unlock the house.

"You're so impossible sometimes," he groaned as he opened the door and Alicia ran inside.

"Like father like daughter," Meredith smiled as she walked past him into the house. She startled at Alicia's squeal.

"Deri!" Alicia couldn't even think about taking off her other boot anymore once she spotted her friend around the corner.

Derek laughed as he walked up to her and scooped her up into his arms.

"Oh Deri!" full of affection she threw her arms around his neck.

"My Ally," Derek laughed, hugging her tightly. "I heard you were the star tonight."

"I was the fairy," Alicia cleared that out innocently.

Derek laughed and nodded, not wishing to contradict her. He kissed her and then he put her back down, wanting to greet the others.

"You look great, Meredith," he smiled, holding her hands and scanning her from toe to head.

"She looks more than great," Mark chuckled, wrapping an arm around her waist and rubbing her small swallowed stomach.

"Four months already?" Derek ask, surprised, for the first time noticing her bump.

"Almost," Meredith nodded.

"Is it getting any better with the symptoms?" he asked her.

"A little better," Mark answered for her.

Meredith giggled and leaned her side against him, "He knows more about my pregnancy than me or even my gynecologist."

"Impressive," Derek chuckled pleasantly surprised to see the big change in Mark's life.

"Dr. Shepherd," Izzie cut in, giggling sheepishly.

"Izzie," Derek smiled and held out his hand. "I think it's ok to call me Derek."

"Ok," Izzie giggled again, making her friends roll their eyes.

"I am here for the food and drink," Cristina stated. "I am Jewish so I don't care about Christmas tree and Izzie's giggles."

"Me neither," Mark grumbled, glaring at Izzie, "Besides, Stevens, you said something about baking cookies."

"Cookies!" Alicia squealed from somewhere around the room while chasing her kitten.

"I will take care of the food and dessert," Crystal stated, taking Izzie's side. "You should help the others with the Christmas tree."

"Oof! I hate Izzie!" Alicia grumbled nervously.

Everyone turned and checked on her, especially Izzie.

"It's her kitten," Meredith rolled her eyes.

Izzie made a grimace at that, "She still calls it Izzie?"

Meredith smiled and nodded, "At least you're not swimming into an aquarium with Derek and eat worms."

"I…" Izzie opened the mouth to express her hopes of swimming with Derek in any place, but Meredith held up her hand and stopped her.

"We know,"

Izzie giggled and turned her attention to Alicia.

"What happened now?" Mark frowned, stomping towards them. As he reached behind the couch, Mark found the kitten's surprise. He closed his eyes and suppressed a groaned, "You need to clean this up, Meredith!" he snapped. "You bought her the kitten, you and her should clean after it."

Crystal groaned and came to bring the peace again, "You know she's pregnant, Mark. Ally, go bring the shovel and the dustpan."

"Grandma!" Alicia frowned, unwilling to do the dirty job.

"If you don't want it, just tell me," Mark said sternly. "I will throw it out right away."

"The deal was to have you taking care of the kitten, not us," Meredith pointed out.

Alicia sighed resignedly and went to bring what her grandma had told her to bring without any other comment.

Mark, Derek and George took care of arranging the lights in the tree and around the room, while Meredith, Izzie and Alicia took the new ornaments out of the boxes, preparing them to be arranged in the tree.

Meredith started feeling pain in her back and also a little dizzy, so she went to sit down. Mark was down beside her right away. He put an arm around her waist and gently pulled her closer to him. She let her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes as his fingers started massaging her back. His lips were closely breathing against her ear and cheek and his hands were gently massaging her body with caressing touches, so Meredith surrendered into his embrace. There had been a lot of moments like this for the past couple of weeks and many others were to come.

"Is my baby boy a trouble-maker?" he asked, putting his hands on each side of her swollen stomach.

Meredith put her cold hand over his warm hand and circled the baby bump together, "You're wishing for a boy, huh?"

Mark chuckled, "Girls are difficult. I have plenty of them at home and I don't need more."

"Ally is going to kick your boy's ass anyway," Meredith giggled.

"I honestly have no doubt of it," he chuckled.

"What if it's a girl again?" she asked, without any trance of worry toward the subject. She knew he loved their unborn baby already and its sex wouldn't change it at all.

"Then I guess I deserve the punishment," Mark sighed with fakeness.

"You totally do," Meredith teased him. She shifted her position a little so that she could look at him, "Twin girls would be awesome."

Mark showed her a panicked look; a real panicked look. "It's Christmas Eve. Stop making fun of a tired man…"

"Old man already?" she stopped him with a mocking laughter.

Mark glared intensively at her before he took her face between his hands and kissed her feverishly. Taken by surprise, Meredith moaned and her body melt into his arms as she kissed him back, completely forgetting about the audience they had not far from the couch.

"Why do they do that all the time?" they heard Alicia asking with disgust.

"That's how they feed the baby," Izzie had a helpful answer.

Meredith and Mark pulled away and looked at Alicia for her reaction. She was still watching them with a grimace and they could see the confusion on her face because of Izzie's explanation. Neither of them bothered to give her another answer, so she tore her eyes from them and returned to decorating the Christmas tree. She took an angel decoration and stood up on the tiptoes to reach to a higher branch, giggling as she left it hanging on the edge.

"Not there," Izzie said, taking the decoration off.

"No," Alicia cried and held her hands up to take it back. "Leave it there."

"It doesn't stay well there," Izzie explained and put the decoration higher and in a different place.

"Izzie!" Alicia snapped, hitting her foot against the floor. "It's my tree! Go to your tree."

"Hey, don't be rude," Izzie scolded.

Mark had watched the little conflict between Alicia and Izzie and as Izzie raised her voice at his daughter, Mark burst and jumped up, "Hey! That's her Christmas tree and she can decorate it however she wants to."

Each time the things were heating between Mark and Alicia or between Mark and people who criticized his daughter, Meredith and Crystal were the peace-maker, and this time, when Crystal was in the kitchen with Cristina, Meredith found herself in the position of stepping in and calming down the spirits.

She heavily stood up and stepped between Mark and the others, "Mark, there's no need to be rude to Izzie."

Mark raised his brows, "Am I the rude one?"

Meredith rolled her eyes and turned to Alicia and Izzie, "Izzie, please understand her and work with her. And Ally," she said then, turning to Alicia, "That was an inappropriate tone you talked to Izzie. She's much older than you and you can't raise your voice at grown-ups."

"What are you doing?" Mark snapped at her.

Meredith turned and smiled at him, relaxed, "Pissing you off," she smirked. "And teaching Ally some respect." Mark opened the mouth ready to protest, but Meredith lifted her brows at him, "Are you having a problem with this?"

Mark narrowed his eyes, glaring at her and gritting his teeth, but stayed quiet. He directed his glare towards Izzie, "You'd better bring her a chair and let her help you." That being said, Mark poured himself some scotch and went to sit down in the couch again.

"Nicely done," Derek whispered in Meredith's ear, impressed with the change she had brought in Mark's life.

Meredith looked back at him and giggled, "And I've just started."

"Impressive," Derek chuckled.

After Izzie and Alicia finally conveyed over the design of the Christmas tree and the lights went on, everyone gathered in the living room with drinks and homemade cookies. They stayed and talked about anything, while Alicia stayed near them at the coffee table, arranging, rearranging and arranging again the plate with cookies for Santa.

"You can't eat these ones," she said and looked with a very serious and mature expression at Meredith. "You have in kitchen more. These are for Santa not for you."

Meredith's cheeks flashed instantly like a child scolded by its mother.

Mark laughed and rubbed her belly encouragingly, kissing her on the cheek. "I could always steal some for you." Meredith giggled, thrilled with Mark's complicity. "And you were lecturing about education earlier," he chuckled, shaking his head.

"Does Santa like cold milk?" Alicia questioned, preoccupied with the problem.

"Santa will just take a sip from your milk," Derek said, picking her up and putting her onto his lap.

"But my milk is good," Alicia saddened.

"It is, but he drinks a lot of milk from all the children he visits; he would have to stop at each bathroom and pee," Mark added with a chuckle. "Besides dirtying the bathrooms, he might also not get in time to all the children and leave them the presents."

Meredith elbowed him hard, "Couldn't you have said something nicer?"

"Wasn't it nice?" he frowned.

"That wasn't nice, Daddy," Alicia shook her head. "That was boring."

Mark worryingly looked at his daughter while he pressed his lips against Meredith's ear and whispered, "Will she ever become smart?"

"She's smarter than you," she said and Mark looked at her, skeptical. "She's just innocent, which I can't say about you," she smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek.

Now calm that she had prepared her snack for Santa, Alicia stayed in Derek's arms and slowly drifted to sleep. Seeing that, Meredith's friends started leaving, while Derek carried Alicia upstairs.

Meredith managed to half woke her up and help her change into her pajamas, laying down with her then and letting her snuggle beside her. She loved the relationship she had with Alicia; they were mother and daughter now –not legally yet- but they were also still friends.

"What are you doing here?" Mark asked her, his voice loudly resounding in the big, quiet bedroom.

Alicia moaned, just a little disturbed by her father's voice, and rolled over, facing Meredith and having her back turned to Mark.

"What's wrong with you?" Meredith scolded as she heavily stood up.

Mark helped her get on her feet and just smiled at her scold, walking her out of the room.

"What are you up to?" Meredith suspiciously asked.

Mark shrugged and pushed her a little when Meredith stopped. "I just want to say good night."

"Do you need privacy?" she asked, still suspicious.

Mark sarcastically smiled, "Aren't we smart?"

Meredith frowned and elbowed him between ribs as she tried to get off his grip, "Why are you throwing me out of her room?" she asked, frustrated that she couldn't get free.

"I am not throwing you out," Mark answered calmly. "I am walking you outside."

"Can't you speak louder?" Meredith hissed quietly. "I don't think she can sleep without your voice," she said sarcastically.

"I forgot to do something," Mark was still calm. "Why don't you go eat a cookie or something? Make yourself busy downstairs."

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" she asked. "What do you need from her at this hour?"

Mark groaned and rolled his eyes, but stayed calm, "Just leave. I will be with you in a minute."

"Mark," Meredith frowned.

"Why do you have to be this curious?" Mark frowned too. He pushed her from behind until she was out in the hallway. "I will be fast, I promise," he said and quickly closed the door, leaving her on the outside.

"What's going on?" Crystal came out of her room as she heard their voices.

"He's acting weird," Meredith said, pointing back to the door. She grabbed the door handle, wanting to go back inside, but she was surprised to find it locked. "Mark," she lightly knocked at the door, "You locked yourself inside?"

"Mark, what are you up to? Ally is sleeping. Don't disturb her," Crystal said.

"You two are so impossible," they heard Mark groaning behind the door.

"Leave him alone," Derek chuckled as he walked past them and entered his room.

"What do you know?" Meredith went after him, demanding.

Derek just smirked at her and shrugged, "They have a deal. There's nothing to worry about," he said and disappeared into his room.

Looking at Crystal, Meredith was surprised to see her smiling as if she knew what was going on. In reality, Crystal didn't know why Mark was acting this way, but she had her suspicions.

"Good night, Meredith," she smiled at her and went into her room, leaving Meredith alone on the hallway, dumbfounded.

Everyone looked calm about the fact that Mark was locked in Alicia's room and Meredith wondered if she should stay by the door – just in case- or to wait for him downstairs as he had asked her to do.

She stuck her ear against the door and listened. No sound was coming from Alicia's room. At least he wasn't disturbing her sleep, she thought to herself and slowly started walking towards the stairs.

Inside Alicia's room, Mark had his ear against the door as well, making sure that Meredith had left. When he heard her footsteps trailing off, Mark smiled proudly. He slowly walked over to Alicia's bed and sat on the edge, gently patting her on the shoulder.

"Al," he spoke softly in her ear, not in whisper as his intention was to wake her up.

Alicia groaned and waved her hand over her ear to banish the disturbance.

"Al, you forgot to give me something. Remember?" Mark insisted and shook her gently.

"Daddy," Alicia whimpered and rolled onto her back sleepily.

"Come on, baby. Just give me the ring and you can go back to sleep," Mark said to her.

"Tomorrow, Daddy," she whimpered sleepily, not opening her eyes.

"Daddy needs it now, not tomorrow," Mark said and brushed the hair out her face. "Just tell me where is it and I will take it," he said.

Alicia sighed loudly and heavily opened her eyes to look at him, "I don't remember, Daddy. I am so sleepy now."

Mark turned pale as he heard that, "What do you mean you don't remember?" he blared out and jumped up. He turned on the light and threw the quilt off Alicia. "Get up and think about the place you put it."

Alicia stirred at his reaction and woke up.

Mark knew he had overreacted, so he drew in some air and calmed down. He sat back down on the bed and said softly, "You know how important that ring is. Besides, I don't think you want to disappoint me. I trusted you when I gave you the ring."

Alicia looked guiltily at him and let out a long yawn as she rubbed her eyes, "It's night outside."

"So?" Mark furrowed his brows. "Did you hide it outside?" he gasped, panicked.

Alicia shook her head. "It's night, Daddy and I am so sleepy."

"Just tell me where the ring is and I will let you go back to sleep," he smiled, hardly staying calm.

Alicia looked pleadingly at him.

Mark shook his head, refusing to let go, "If I don't have the ring, Meredith won't want to marry me and if she doesn't marry me, then she won't be your mommy."

Alicia stared at him, eyes wide open. She didn't like what he said, so she crawled to the edge of the bed and climbed down. She ran to the shelf with stuffed toys beside the window and stuck her hand between them. Mark was behind her right away, helping her find the ring.

"Are you sure you put it here?" he asked her as nothing came in contact with the tip of his fingers.

Alicia made a step back and thought. She shook her head and ran to her school bag, falling on her knees as she opened it and started fumbling through it.

Mark stared at her in horror and once again, he felt the blood leaving his head. "You'd better not tell me you had it with you at school."

Alicia guiltily bit her lip as she looked at her father.

"Al," Mark managed to breathe out. He knelt beside her and forced a smile, "You know I love you, but please tell me you didn't have the ring with you at school and you didn't lose it."

A sob broke inside her chest as she looked at her father, "I can't think," she muttered, her voice trembling.

Mark didn't want to show his panic more than he had already done it. He took a deep breath and smiled reassuringly, "Come here," he said and gently pulled her onto his lap. "We'll stay here and think about the place you put the ring. With calm and no hurry, ok?"

Alicia nodded and rested her head against his chest.

"Let's take it step by step," he said. "I gave you the ring last Sunday after we went and bought it together. Do you remember this?"

Alicia nodded, "There were many pretty rings."

"This isn't the right time for hints," Mark replied calmly. "We went back to our car after _Daddy_ paid for it and also Daddy gave it to you. You put it in your pink purse, remember?"

Alicia nodded.

"We got home and Meredith was at work and Grandma was cooking lunch in the kitchen. Do you remember this too?"

Alicia nodded again.

Mark sighed, exhausted of how slow the rewinding was going. "Let's move forward. I walked you to your room and told you to hide the box. Now it's your turn to tell me what you did after."

Alicia thought about that for a moment. She looked at the door and slowly her head turned as if she was watching a certain direction. Her thoughts led her to bed. She stood up from Mark's bed and walked over to her bed; she fell on her stomach and crawled under the bed.

Mark curiously watched her. He lay down on the floor and tried to see what Alicia was doing under the bed. He saw her reaching for one of her ballet shoes and she grabbed it, she pulled it outside.

Alicia crawled back and sat down as she took the shoe and stuck her hand in it. She smiled at her father as she took out the velvet box.

Mark finally could breathe again. He had always believed that making the proposal was the most difficult phase from the whole marriage process and even than the marriage itself, but that was hell.

"See, Daddy?" Alicia gave him the box. "I hid it well and I didn't tell Meri."

Mark chuckled and nodded. He took the box and also pulled his girl into his arms, "You hid it so well that you couldn't even remember where you hid it."

Alicia opened the box and smiled at the tiny blue diamond that sparkled in her eyes; she smiled up at Mark and said, "It's so pretty."

Mark agreed with a chuckle and affectionately kissed and hugged his little girl, "Now Meri can stay with us forever."

"Forever and ever," she added.

"Forever and ever," Mark laughed and kissed his girl again. "Now go back to sleep. Santa must be someplace nearby at this hour and he can't find us awake."

"Do I have to go to sleep?" she pouted.

"You have to if you don't want Santa to change his mind and not visit us," Mark said and stood up. He held his hand out for Ally to help her up, but she hid her hand to back, refusing to comply.

Mark put the box in the pocket of his pants and without pleading or arguing, he picked Alicia up and carried her to her bed.

"Why doesn't he like when we are awake?" Alicia asked while her father tucked her in.

"Who?" Mark asked, confused, already forgetting about what they were talking.

"Santa? Why can't we see him?" she asked. "Is he shy?"

Mark chuckled, "He's very shy."

Alicia frowned as she looked at her father with distrust, "Carrie said…"

"She lied," he cut her off quickly, already guessing what she wanted to say. "Go back to sleep now."

Alicia let out a yawn and closed her eyes. She opened them again to look at her father, "Wake me up if you see Santa," she whispered with complicity.

Mark chuckled and nodded, "I will wake you up. Close your eyes now."

Alicia tightly shut her eyes and held them like that until Mark was out of the room.

Mark patted his pocket and smiled. It wasn't his regular smug smile; this time he was nervous. He and Meredith knew each other for less than a year and yet, he was about to do an important step in their relationship. Mark went downstairs and rolled his eyes as he saw Meredith eating cookies from Santa's plate.

"Are you eating Santa's cookies?" Mark chuckled as he came and sat down in the couch beside her. "Half a plate already."

"You were gone for long," she giggled. "I know you will fill it again."

Mark wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his arms; he put a finger under her chin and lifted her face to him, softly kissing her. "You taste like cinnamon."

"There are some chocolate cookies in the kitchen if you want me to taste like chocolate," she giggled.

Mark laughed as he looked into her eyes and the brushed the hair out her face, "Shouldn't you be more careful with your blood sugar?"

"The cravings suck more than the morning sickness," Meredith stated.

"I could always give you something sweet when you crave for it," he smiled with lust.

"How sweet?" Meredith giggled and brought her face closer to his, smiling seductively against his lips.

Mark grinned and cupped her face, thrusting his tongue inside her mouth and kissing her feverishly. He pulled back in the need for air and smiled, "As sweet as you need."

Meredith seemed to have forgotten about the cookies as she knelt beside him and propped her forearms against his shoulders, slowly pushing him down on the couch. Mark loved it when Meredith had the control; he lay onto his back and wrapped her legs around his waist, letting his hands roam all over her body.

Meredith shivered as she felt his touch on her breast. She lay down on top of him and both started kissing each other.

"No!" Alicia's terrified shout made both of them jump up. As they both regained their senses and understood what just happened, they saw the pain in Alicia's eyes as she stared at the plate from the coffee table.

Meredith elbowed Mark and urged him to do something.

"Ally, what are you doing up?" he asked, picking up the plate.

Alicia followed his hands, without leaving the plate out of her sight. "Santa needs cookies. He doesn't leave presents if he doesn't have cookies," she grumbled.

"That's exactly why I am going to put more cookies on it," Mark tried to explain and prevent an outburst. "We want to impress Santa, don't we?" he asked, embarrassed, and looked at Meredith too.

"That's right," she nodded.

Alicia didn't like their explanation, "You can't eat Santa's cookies," she scolded Meredith.

Tired and still feeling the effects of Meredith's kisses, Mark put the plate down and walked over to Alicia. "Why are you still up?" he asked her and picked her up into his arms in the same time. "Time for bed. Santa is shy, remember?"

"But you and mommy are still here," she pointed out with a frown. "He won't stop over here if he sees you."

"Santa is not shy with the grown-ups," Mark replied, unwilling of give her any other explanation. "Say good night to Meri."

"But Daddy," Alicia whimpered.

"See?" Meredith scolded Mark. "You shouldn't have disturbed her sleep."

"Trust me. I had to," Mark said and Alicia approved. As she looked as if she was ready explain it, Mark covered her mouth with his hands and quickly walked out of the living room, telling Meredith, "Wait me here."

"Daddy, no," Alicia whimpered and struggled to break free from his arms. Her tiny, skinny body couldn't win against her father's strength.

"Quiet," Mark demanded in whisper as they walked into her room. "I still didn't give her the ring, so please stay in your room. Meri and I were just kissing. I will give her the ring and then we'll go to sleep too."

"I want to see," Alicia pleaded.

"See what?"

"How you give the ring to Meri. And Santa too. I will hide. He won't see me," she felt like she had to reassure him.

Mark couldn't help but laugh at her persistence. She was so stubborn; she was Daddy's little girl after all. "Nobody will see Santa tonight, but…" he sounded as if he was ready to make a promise. Alicia was interested in finding out what he wanted to say. She lay down in bed and let Mark tuck her in again. "Next summer I will write a letter to Santa and invite him over for the next Christmas."

Alicia looked at him with wide eyes, "Can you do that?"

"I can do everything I want to," he smirked. "Next Christmas, you and your little brother will meet Santa."

"My little brother?" Alicia asked, confused.

"Meredith's baby; we have to think positive that the baby will be a boy," Mark stated. "Go back to sleep now. Please." He kissed her on the forehead and turned off the light. "Good night, angel."

"Good night, my daddy," she sighed.

Mark chuckled and walked out the room, closing the door behind him. He took a deep breath again and returned downstairs. This time, he couldn't see Meredith in the couch as he walked in living room, but he saw her then, sitting down beside the Christmas tree.

Perfect, he smiled to himself and went to sit down beside her, "I am back."

"What was your deal with Alicia?" she asked him. "Why did you have to wake her up?"

"You are about to find out if you let me," he answered and leaned in, holding her face with one hand. His lips crashed against hers and Meredith was the one to lay down this time, welcoming him between her legs.

"You're very helpful," Mark chuckled as he lightly pressed his body against hers.

"Am I?" she giggled and misunderstood his compliment as she wrapped a leg around his waist and pulled him to her.

Mark helped himself not to tear the clothes off her; he would do it later. He smiled as he looked into her eyes and watched the multi coloring lights playing in them and over her face. He wanted the proposal to be a romantic moment, but he wasn't sure he could do it. He wasn't a romantic type of guy and he wasn't good at big words. Now that the time had come and he was about to put the question, everything felt and looked romantic. She was beautiful, smiling and laying beneath him; there was also the Christmas tree and its lights; there was silence and only he could hear his nervous breathing. Everything was romantic enough.

He leaned down and started kissing her; slowly, enjoying their taste.

A soft thud and a quiet gasp ended the romanticism.

"What's wrong?" Meredith asked when Mark pulled away and stood up.

"Don't move. I will be right back," he said. "I need to kill a little girl first."

"Mark," Meredith stood up right, smiling. "I can help you put her to bed."

Mark smiled and shook his head. "I won't let her win."

Meredith shook her head disapprovingly.

Right around the corner, Mark found Alicia against the wall, smiling at him innocently.

"This is the last time I'm taking you upstairs and leave you there," he said. "If you come downstairs again, I promise I will lock you inside."

"Daddy," she pleaded. Useless because Mark picked her up and carried her upstairs. "I am not sleepy."

"Of course you are sleepy," he disagreed. "Earlier you were very sleepy. Look," he said as he put her back in bed. "I know you are excited about Santa, but you need to sleep. Besides, I need to be alone with Meredith."

Alicia watched him for a moment and then she had to ask, "Why?"

"Because I have to give the ring and I am shy. That's why I want to be alone with Meredith," Mark tried to explain.

Alicia giggled, "You're not shy," she disagreed. "Izzie is shy."

"I am shy too," Mark insisted. He tucked her in and kissed her once more. "Close your eyes now."

Alicia complied and did as her father asked her. She closed her eyes and Mark stayed with her, slowly running his fingers through her hair and caressing her cheek. At every 5 seconds he checked his watch. Probably a minute or two passed and Alicia didn't say a word or had an attempt of opening the eyes.

Mark leaned down and kissed her on the cheek, whispering, "Sleep well."

He stood up and waited. Alicia didn't react in anyway, so Mark hoped she was finally asleep. He walked outside, closed the door and waited. He listened to the door, wanting to see if she was really sleeping. No sound came from inside, so Mark hoped. This time, he was going to go downstairs, go back under the Christmas tree and give her the ring. Just like that. He wouldn't let anything disturb his plan.

Returning in living room, Mark had the unpleasant surprise of not finding Meredith in there. He suppressed a groan and headed for the kitchen, almost sure that he would find her there. The kitchen was empty. Mark walked out the kitchen and wondered, confused. Just then he heard some muffled moans coming from the bathroom. He hurried there and there she was, knelt in front of the toilet and throwing up.

Meredith looked up at him and smiled, "I think I ate too many cookies."

Mark sighed and agreed with a nod. He knelt beside her and held her hair to back, "I swear I wanted to this the right way, but I am too tired and I don't want to leave it for later or tomorrow either," he said. "Meredith, will you marry me?"

Right in that moment, Meredith started throwing up again.

"Great," Mark muttered under his breath and stood up. He wetted a washcloth and wiped Meredith's forehead and neck.

Meredith felt her stomach calming down again. Exhausted, she leaned to Mark and rested her entire body into his arms. Mark sat down and leaned his back against the wall as he held her and waited.

What was he supposed to do now? He had put the question and now he needed an answer. The answer was late to come as Meredith held her eyes closed and looked like she was sleeping.

"I don't think I like being pregnant," she muttered, without opening her eyes.

Mark was no longer in the mood to joke or make fun of her; he wasn't even in the mood of being pissed off. He just stayed there, gently massaging Meredith's waist.

"I am not sure of what you told me before I started throwing up, but it sounded…" she paused and looked over her shoulder at him with a sheepish smile.

Mark smiled and brushed the back of his hand against her cheek, while he took the box out of the pocket with the other one. He opened the box and waited for Meredith turn and look at it.

Meredith followed his glance and could not believe her eyes when she saw the delicate ring and its delicate blue diamond. Her brain went into haze and she gone speechless.

"Marry me," he said.

His voice, brushing against her ear, brought her out of the haze. She looked at him, with her mouth open, and wanted to say something.

Mark didn't know how to read her panic; because panic was what described Meredith's features in that moment.

"I am not a romantic type of guy. I've never done this until now and I did it as I saw on TV," he said. "You are pregnant with my child already and… you and Ally have this bond," he stopped as he thought he had said too much already. He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and caressed her cheek, "And you. You keep in line with your stubbornness and feistiness."

"Mark," she knew she should have said something, but she still couldn't think clearly. "Are you sure?" she asked. Part of her had an answer.

Mark smiled as he looked into her eyes, "I am. I want this. This time I want it to be different and…right. Marriage is the right thing."

Meredith smiled and leaned in, kissing him softly on the lips, "What if…" she wanted to ask, but Mark put a finger over her lips and shook his head.

"Let's just see if," he said.

Meredith looked back at the ring and Mark took it and slipped it on her finger. "If it works then we'll be together forever. And ever. If not, then you will get a big part from my fortune and probably my unborn child's custody."

Meredith admired her ring with a smile, "A big part from your fortune you say."

Mark kissed her on the cheek and pressed his cheek against hers, "That's right."

"How big that part would be?" she asked.

Mark tightened his arms around her, "My love… and Ally's love."

Meredith couldn't hold back the tears, "Your love?" she asked, just glancing over her shoulder. "How big your love would be?"

Mark chuckled and pressed a strong kiss against her cheek, "That is a secret."

She intertwined her left hand with his and held them up in the air as she looked at the ring, "Mark?"

"What is it?"

She looked back at him and smiled, "You wouldn't be you anymore if you become romantic."

Mark sighed with fake relief, "Does this mean you will spare me of candles and flowers under the moonlight?"

Meredith thought about that for a moment, "That wouldn't be bad once in a while."

"You're just teasing me right now," Mark chuckled. He stood up and scooped her up into his arms. "We don't want Santa to catch us doing nasty-nasty on the bathroom floor."

"We don't want that," Meredith laughed. "But we have to put cookies for Santa."

"Meredith," Mark smiled and shook his head. "I am sure Santa won't mind."

Meredith wasn't smiling anymore.

"You're serious," he sighed and put her back down on her feet.

"What if she wakes up in the middle of the night and sees no presents under the tree, but the plate is half empty?" she pointed out.

Mark rolled his eyes and walked past her, out the bathroom, "We would have taken care of the presents right now, but you had to buy her that special present."

"We can wake up very early in the morning," she said. "And you agreed with the present."

"Because we were in the middle of the sex," he pointed out. "I just gave you a ring. Can't we not fight and go upstairs for some decent Christmas Eve sex?"

Meredith smiled smugly at him. "This is why you proposed."

Mark stopped and folded his arms, "And why was that?"

"Because I always win the fights," she smirked.

"Can we go fill the plate with cookies and go upstairs?" he asked with fake annoyance. Meredith smiled and hurried after him, taking his hand as they walked into the kitchen. "Do not touch anything that's eatable." He warned her.


	36. Future plans

_N/A: First of all, I want to wish you a Happy New Year! I hope you all had great holidays._

_Then, I hope there are still people reading this fic. I know I should have ended it by now, but honestly I didn't have time and inspiration. I could have ended it but it would have been crap for sure. I have 2 more chapters besides this one and I hope you stick with me for the end. I am very excited about the end, btw._

_------------_

_**Chapter 36- Future plans**_

Out of breath, sticky and exhausted, Mark collapsed down next to Meredith. He brushed her sweaty forehead with his hand and kissed her. "Give me a second," he murmured, before he sunk his face in the curve of her neck.

Panting, she rested her cheek against his forehead and asked, "What for?"

Mark couldn't answer right away. His breathing was still hectic and his heart sounded like it was about to rip his thorax, but after a second –as he had said- he threw the quilt off them and stood up. "Let's go."

Meredith shivered and her bare body instantly curled, protecting itself from the cold air. "Go where?" she asked, frustrated.

"To the bathroom," Mark said. "Don't you need to throw up and faint on the bathroom floor?"

Meredith gasped and grabbed a pillow, just lightly hitting him. "I never faint on the bathroom floor."

Mark chuckled, but didn't show any intention on covering her again. "So you don't need to throw up?" he asked her, almost in disbelief.

"No," she shook her head and grabbed the quilt, pulling it over her.

"Don't blame me," he muttered as he lay back in bed with her. "You always do it."

Meredith nestled against his chest, smiling. "Maybe it's because of the ring and the baby feels happier now."

Mark laughed quietly and cupped Meredith's small baby bump with his hand, while he moved closer to her and their legs intertwined. "Does this mean I get a second round?" he asked, his eyes sparkling of lust.

Meredith giggled and was about to give him the answer he wanted when they heard a door slamming outside. Both jumped up instantly and looked panicked at each other.

"Did you put the presents?" Meredith asked Mark.

"No," he muttered. "Did you?" Mark asked Meredith.

"No," she muttered, and both jumped out of bed and grabbed on the blanket. "Give it to me," Meredith insisted, pulling it towards her. "I have more to cover. You can use a pillow or something."

Mark looked around him and spotted a bathrobe in the mess from the floor. "Here. Take this," he said to Meredith, giving her the bathrobe.

Meredith didn't even look at him as she was already wrapped in the blanket and heading to the door. Mark put the bathrobe on him and hurried after Meredith, who was already outside on the hall. They saw Alicia stopping at the stairwell and carefully putting the first step down. Mark and Meredith looked at each other and then started running, Mark pulling Alicia back, holding her tightly.

"Daddy," Alicia protested with a whine.

"You need to wait a little bit, Ally," Meredith tried to explain.

"Why?" the girl asked, confused.

"Because…" Meredith looked at Mark for some help, but he was as clueless in lies as she was. "Because we need to get dressed first."

Alicia shook her head. "No, we don't. Tell her, Daddy," she said, turning to her father.

"Let her go," Crystal chuckled from the bottom of the stairs. "Everything is alright," she nodded knowingly.

Mark sighed and let Alicia go. Of course, his mother took care of her granddaughter's Christmas presents. He took Meredith by the hand and followed Alicia down the stairs.

"Where do you think you're going?" his mother scowled at them and their clothing.

"We want to be there when she sees her presents," Mark stated and ignored his mother's scowl. He picked Alicia up from the stairs, helping her go down faster. As she was down again, Alicia started running to the Christmas tree.

"He came! He came!" they heard Alicia squealing and, as they walked into the living room, they saw a puppy coming running towards Alicia. "A puppy!" she squealed deafeningly and fell on her knees, hugging her puppy.

"I told you she would love it," Meredith giggled.

"I had no doubt," he sighed, still not a fan of the pets.

The puppy, a creamy Labrador, sat on Alicia's lap and happily started playing with her.

"Let's hope he will hate the cat and this way we can get rid of her," Mark grumbled.

Meredith elbowed him and sat down on the couch, watching how happy Alicia was playing with her new friend. "Santa brought you a puppy, huh?" she giggled.

Alicia showed her brightest smile as she turned and looked at Meredith. She nodded and heavily stood up on her feet to bring the puppy to Meredith. "See?" she said, placing it on Meredith's lap. "I didn't even tell Santa I wanted a puppy," she giggled.

Meredith just smiled at Alicia, while she felt Mark's glare.

"So she didn't want a puppy," he chuckled nervously, but only Meredith and Crystal knew he wasn't happy to hear that.

"You agreed with it, so stop whining," Meredith pointed out. Mark rolled his eyes and came to sit down with her.

"More cookies and milk," Derek announced as he joined the family as well, bringing with him a tray with cookies and glasses of milk, which he put it on the coffee table.

"Look, Deri!" Alicia wanted to show her puppy to Derek. "I love Santa so much."

Derek laughed and kissed the top of her head before he knelt in front of the couch to caress the puppy, smirking at Meredith.

"You knew about it too," Mark concluded.

"It's Santa's fault," Derek laughed.

Alicia looked up at her friend with a glare. "Don't blame Santa. Santa is good."

Though he wasn't very happy with the puppy, Mark was satisfied to see Alicia's happiness. "You'd better find him a good name. A dog name," he said, pulling the puppy by the ears.

The puppy turned and jumped on Mark's lap, sitting down and licking his hands.

"Aww," all the grown-ups reacted with laughs at the scene.

"Yeah, yeah, sure," Mark couldn't hold back a chuckle either.

"It's a boy?" Alicia asked.

"It's a boy," Meredith answered.

Alicia was so happy with the unexpected present that she almost forgot about the wish list she had sent to Santa. She sat down on the floor with Derek and started thinking. She thought for a while, but then she let out a sigh. "I can't find a name."

"What about… Billy?" Derek suggested.

Alicia smiled, nodding thrilled with the name. "I like Billy."

"Billy is not a dog name," Mark pointed out.

"How about … Doughnut?" Meredith came up with a new idea.

"Yes!" Alicia decided with a shrill. "Doughnut, my puppy!" she jumped up and hug her puppy. "You're so pretty, Doughnut. I love you so much." The puppy answered to her love with a loving lick on her cheek.

"They love each other," Meredith giggled at Mark.

"Aww yay," Mark sarcastically beamed and laughed and when Meredith elbowed him. "Now let the puppy breathe and go see what other things Santa brought you. He spent a lot of money on your presents."

Alicia looked at her father, smiling. She shook her head, the same gesture she made each time she was disappointed with her father. "Daddy," she adopted a grown-up-like tone. "Santa doesn't buy the toys. He makes them in a factory with his elves and Mrs. Santa Claus makes cookies for them."

Meredith hardly abstained from laughing. "Repeat that. We want to make sure he finally understood."

Alicia didn't understand Meredith's tease toward Mark, so she took a deep breath and started repeating, "Daddy…"

"He has a toy factory. I got that," Mark stopped her.

Alicia turned to Meredith and nodded with the same grown-up-like attitude, "He understood."

Everyone started laughing then, inclusive Mark.

Despite Mark's disagreement, Meredith and Crystal conveyed not to spoil Alicia with many presents for Christmas. Most of the things she had asked Santa for were toys she already had at home but which probably her friends from kindergarten had asked too. Therefore, Alicia received for Christmas only a ballerina doll, ballet shoes and her favorite, a bicycle.

Santa Mark was more generous to Meredith as nobody forbade him to spoil her. He took out of a box a beautiful and delicate platinum necklace with a pink flower pendant. Meredith loved it without a doubt; it was beautiful and of good-taste and she was also impressed with the amount of jewelries she had received in less than 24 hours as she had never received a single one in her life. Despite all these, Meredith didn't show so much excitement and Mark noticed that.

"Santa felt very generous with you," Crystal chuckled, looking at Meredith's ring. Mark's proposal was a surprise for everyone, except for Alicia – his accomplice- and Derek. "Is this what I think it is?" she laughed, not believing a miracle like that could be possible. She came and sat down on the couch, giving a better look to the ring.

"I think it is what you think it is," Meredith giggled.

Crystal smiled at her and then at her son, with her eyes almost tearing. "Congratulations," she said, with her voice full of emotion. She hugged Meredith and then she stood up and walked in front of her son, cupping his face in her hands and kissing him.

"Mom," Mark protested with a whimper, feeling like he was a boy again and he was being kissed by his mother in front of his friends.

Crystal laughed and gently slapped him.

"Congratulations, Meredith," Derek walked over to them, wanting to give Meredith a hug, but stopped and made a step back as he noticed her inappropriate clothes.

"You should go upstairs and get dressed," Crystal laughed.

"I think we should," Meredith flushed, embarrassed, and pulled the blanket over her bare legs with Mark's help.

Alicia needed her Daddy's help to help her unwrap the doll from its box, so Meredith went upstairs ahead. She had just walked out of the bathroom when Mark walked into their room. He smiled when he saw her. She was as beautiful as the first night she slept over to his apartment; the night when he first saw her with her wet hair and wearing his brown shirt.

"Do you think we should continue from where we left it off?" she giggled and walked over to him, hugging him.

Mark pushed her wet hair out of her face and kissed her. "We should," he whispered against her lips, slowly started walking her backwards until she fell on the bed. He lay down on top of her, making sure his weight didn't press entirely against her body. His lips captured hers and his tongue thrust into her mouth, while her leg sneaked under his bathrobe and wrapped around his waist. "You're very flexible for a pregnant woman," he moaned against her ear. He pulled back a little to be able to look into her eyes, "You didn't like your present from Santa so much."

Meredith smiled and traced her fingers across her necklace. "I love it. It's just that I am not used to this kind of gifts."

Mark sighed, running his fingers through her hair. "You have to tell me what kind of presents you prefer."

"I prefer those kind of presents that only stay in your memory; nothing material," she answered.

Mark furrowed his brows, confused. "Orgasmic presents only?"

Meredith giggled as she heard that. "You would like that, wouldn't you?" Mark smirked lustily at her as answer. "You should have learned by now that I am not a material woman."

"I learned that," he smiled. "I just have to get used to you."

"You have time," she giggled, reaching up for his lips.

"I have," he agreed and pressed his lips against hers, kissing her feverishly.

Their moment was soon interrupted when they heard someone struggling with the doorknob. Before they could separate from their embrace, Alicia opened the door and ran inside.

"Daddy," she stopped pleadingly beside their bed, ignoring their position. "I think my puppy is sick."

"What do you mean he's sick?" Meredith asked, pushing Mark off her.

Alicia nodded at her, visibly worried. "Grandma says he's sleeping, but I touched him and he didn't move."

Meredith stood up, laughing. "Probably he's sleeping indeed. He traveled a lot to get to you, so he's tired now."

Alicia kept looking at her worryingly and then at Mark. "He's tired?" she asked quietly.

Mark groaned, beyond annoyed with the interruption.

"Why don't you go and take a shower?" Meredith suggested. "A cold one," she smiled teasingly.

Mark didn't taste her sense of humor. He just leaned to her and kissed her before he stood up and headed towards the bathroom.

"Come here," Meredith said to Alicia, patting the bed.

Alicia smiled and climbed up in the bed with Meredith's help. She sat down and sighed as she smiled up at Meredith. "I wanted to play with the puppy."

"You'll have enough time to play with him," she reassured her.

"Why does Santa come only for Christmas?" Alicia asked her very seriously.

"Because this is the tradition. He comes only on Christmas," Meredith tried to explain.

"Why?" Alicia insisted.

Meredith sighed and thought about an answer. "He doesn't have snow the rest of the year," she found an answer.

Alicia looked at her, thoughtful, and Meredith didn't like that as that meant Alicia had a reply. "There isn't snow outside and he came last night," Alicia pointed out knowingly.

Meredith had to admit Alicia was more intelligent than her. "He doesn't have enough time to make all the toys he receives requests for."

Alicia thought about that explanation and nodded, taking in that answer. She crawled next to Meredith and both lay against the pillows. "When will the next Christmas be?" she asked Meredith.

Meredith wrapped her arms around Alicia and brought her resting with her head on her stomach. "The next Christmas will be next year. We have to wait a year."

Alicia rolled onto her back so that she could look up at Meredith. "Is a year long?" she asked her.

Meredith chuckled, caressing her forehead. "Why are you excited about Santa's next visit? You're not even playing with the presents he brought you this year."

Alicia shrugged. She didn't know exactly why; she was just thrilled with the idea of receiving Santa's visit.

"While we wait for Santa, the baby will be born," Meredith explained and rested her hand above Alicia's head, on her stomach.

Alicia rolled over and knelt beside her. "The baby is still there?" she asked.

"The baby is still here," she nodded. "It's needs to grow before coming out."

"Why does it have to grow inside?" Alicia asked innocently. "The baby can grow with us here. In my room."

Meredith giggled at Alicia's reasoning. "It needs a special place to grow and that special place is in its mommy's tummy. All the babies grow there."

"They can't grow in Daddies' tummies?" she asked.

Meredith shook her head. "No."

"Why?" Alicia's question came out naturally and Meredith anticipated it.

"Because women have special bodies. Their body is specially designed to hold babies inside," she explained.

Alicia stared at her for a moment. "You're special," she concluded quietly.

"You'll be special too when you'll grow up and be pregnant," she said.

"Will I have a baby in my tummy?" Alicia asked in awe. "When?"

"Not right away," Meredith laughed. "You have to wait many years to pass."

Alicia took in that answer and nodded. "So after the baby is born, Santa will come again?"

"You're obsessed with Santa," Meredith chuckled. "The baby will be born and then there will also be a wedding. I will get married to your Daddy."

"I know," Alicia smiled proudly. "Do you like the ring? Isn't it pretty?" she asked, taking Meredith's left hand to look at the ring. "I bought it."

"You did?" Meredith laughed.

Mark came out of the bathroom right in that moment and he overheard Alicia's last statement. "You say you bought the ring, Al?" he asked.

Alicia laughed and stood up, running to the edge of the bed to welcome her Daddy. Mark scooped her on his arms and lay with her in the bed, next to Meredith. "Who gave the credit card to that lady?"

"You did," Alicia answered.

"So who bought it?" he asked.

"I did," she answered innocently.

"I think she chose it and you paid for it," Meredith cut in. "So you bought it together."

Alicia agreed with her. "We bought it together."

"Besides assuming my merits what else were you talking about?" he asked them.

"Ally was asking me when Santa would come next," Meredith explained.

"Next Christmas," he answered. "And if you're wondering why do you have to wait for the next Christmas, then I will tell you it is because there's no snow for Santa's sleigh the rest time of year," he explained, smiling smugly at Meredith.

Meredith smiled knowingly, waiting for Alicia's reply.

"No, no," she shook her head, adopting her grown-up-like attitude again. "It's because he doesn't have time to make all the toys for children if he comes everyday."

"Silly me," Mark chuckled, kissing his daughter.

Alicia laughed and mounted on his stomach, holding his face in her tiny hands. "I love you, silly Daddy."

"I know you do. Who wouldn't love a silly daddy?" he laughed, kissing her again.

"I love you," Alicia stated, getting off him and sitting between Mark and Meredith.

"We were also measuring the time in events until next Christmas," Meredith looked at him. "The baby and then… the wedding," she mentioned the wedding quietly.

"Did you establish the order of these two?" he asked her.

They hadn't had time to discuss over the wedding date and Meredith wasn't sure about how long he wanted their engagement to be. "No. Do you have any suggestion?"

Mark shrugged, giving an evasive answer, "I don't really care."

Meredith didn't like his answer as she didn't know what that mean. Mark saw that. "Do you have any suggestion?" he asked her.

Meredith shook her head.

Mark thought about something for a moment and then he looked at Meredith. "Do you want a big wedding?" he asked her.

"No. I don't even know that many people," she said.

"Great, then we'll get married in about … 2 months," he said. "Now it depends on how long it will take you to get a wedding dress. Usually people plan the wedding months or years ahead only so that the bride can have enough time to have her dress ready."

Meredith laughed as she heard that and shook her head as answer. "I don't need a special dress. Not the dress makes the day special."

"A nightgown would do just fine to me," he stated, smirking at her.

"A princess dress," Alicia cut in, beaming. "You will look like a princess," she said to Meredith, full of excitement.

"No. I will just look like… a very pregnant bride," Meredith giggled.

Mark showed a firm opinion over Meredith's statement as he furrowed his brows and disagreed with a glare. "No pregnant wife if mine is fat. She's just pregnant with my child. Now seriously speaking, we can rush the wedding. How much will you be showing in two months?" he suggested.

Meredith circled her baby bump thoughtful. "I will be nearly 5 months, I think. I shouldn't be showing much. But do you think it is possible to prepare the wedding in two months?"

"If you don't want the reception, we can get married by the end of this week," he said.

Meredith laughed at first, but stopped quickly as he saw how serious he was. "Are you afraid that I might change my mind?"

"No. I just don't want to feel the stress of the wedding for too long," Mark answered matter-of-factly. "I can wait for as long as you need to, just don't mess the house with brides' magazines and other things like these."

Meredith was a little disappointed with his answer. Deep down she had hoped he was afraid of losing her, but then, his confidence over their future was optimistic and that encouraged her.

"I only have my friends which I want to my wedding," she said.

"And I have mom, Derek and his family," Mark added. "I think we can convince them not to make plans for that day."

"We just have to set a date then,"

Alicia's gasped interrupted their discussion. As they looked at her, they saw her smiling brightly at them. "We have to invite Santa!" she beamed.

Meredith and Mark groaned in unison.

"I doubt that he will be able to come, but we'll send him an invitation. Just in case," Mark joked, but Alicia didn't get it and nodded in agreement. "Good," Mark laughed of her. "Now other plans."

Meredith and Alicia looked at him and shrugged.

"I have an idea," he said. "If you will be a good girl next year- and I have no doubt of it- we could invite Santa on the Christmas Eve here."

"Yes! Yes!" Alicia squealed.

"A promise is a promise, Mark," Meredith pointed out. It wasn't the first time Mark made promises to Alicia and then he acted like he had never said anything.

"I can keep my promises," he frowned. "Especially a serious promise like this one. Besides, I am sure you will make sure the promise will become real. This in case I change my mind."

"Don't change your mind, daddy," Alicia pleaded him. "Keep your mind, please!"

Meredith laughed and pulled Alicia to her. "He will keep his mind. I will make sure of it," she said, smiling at him. "Next Christmas will be a special Christmas. You'll have a little brother or sister."

"Yes," Alicia smiled, thrilled. "I want a sister. I don't want a brother."

"We'll have to wait and see," Meredith explained.

"You don't know?" Alicia asked, a little disappointed.

"Not yet," she answered.

"Why? You have to have a sister," Alicia was almost pleading Meredith.

"Hey!" Mark cut in at Alicia's reaction. "What's with this antipathy toward the idea of having a baby brother?" he asked Alicia.

"I don't like boys," Alicia frowned. "Boys are stupid and dirty. Nobody likes boys."

"I hate that school!" Mark glared at Meredith.

"Those are pretty rough words, Ally," Meredith cut in as peacemaker. "Boys are not that bad. Your father is a boy and I like him. You like him too."

Alicia shook her head, disapproving. "He is a big boy. I like big boys. I don't like little boys," she stated.

Mark turned pale hearing that while Meredith anticipated his reaction and rubbed his back comfortingly.

"She will like old men," he muttered, staring terrifyingly at his daughter.

"Let's not overreact, Mark. She's just a little girl. She doesn't know anything about boys," Meredith tried to comfort him. "You'll have to love the baby even if it is a boy," she said, looking at Alicia.

"One thing I want to set clear from the beginning," Mark said. "I don't want to name the baby after any of our parents."

"Maybe we should started thinking about some names for it," Meredith suggested while playing with Alicia's hair. "Do you have any idea how to call the baby, Ally?"

Alicia rolled onto her stomach, propping her chin in her hands as she stared at Meredith's abdomen. "Can't we just call it Baby?" she asked, not very thrilled with the new topic of their discussion.

"Or Junior," Mark suggested and Meredith gave him a disapproving look.

"Baby Junior," Alicia had an idea.

"No," Meredith shook her head. "What about…. Meghan for girl or … Gavin for boy?"

"Why Meghan with 'gh' and not just Megan?" Mark asked her, confused.

Meredith shrugged, smiling at him. "It is different and it sounds interesting. Don't you want a special name?"

"I like Gavin, but I don't know about Meghan," he said.

"Alexandra!" Alicia beamed as the idea struck her. She stood up on her knees and smiled at them. "Like Princess Alexandra from the story."

Meredith and Mark looked at each other. They didn't know exactly which Princess Alexandra she was talking about, but considering the fact that Alicia was thrilled with the name and she seemed to associate her unborn sister with a princess, they agreed with the name.

"Alexandra is a pretty name," Meredith stated and Mark nodded.

"Princess Alexandra is very pretty," Alicia thought she needed to inform them. "Stay here," she told them urgently while she ran to the edge of the bed and hopped down, disappearing out the door in a flash.

"Who is this princess?" Meredith asked Mark, giggling.

Mark chuckled and moved closer to Meredith, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "She must be a new celebrity. Do you think she will be back soon?" he asked, nibbling her earlobe.

Meredith giggled and tried to push him away. "You wouldn't have time to finish."

Mark dropped her earlobe from his teeth and sighed against her ear. "I can't wait for the honeymoon."

"I can't wait either," she sighed too and rested her head against his.

Alicia came in running and bringing a book with her. She threw the book in bed and jumped, clanging on the sheets as she tried to climb up. Mark grabbed her by her pajama and pulled her up. She made herself room between them again and opened the book.

"This is Princess Alexandra," she said, showing a picture of a fairytale princess, first to Mark and then to Meredith. She has a pink puppy and her name is…"

"Pixie," Meredith giggled. "I remember this story now," she said, laughing at Mark's amused face.

"Breakfast is ready," Crystal announced from the doorway, just sneaking her head inside.

"We eat waffles," Alicia informed them with a nodded.

"Oh yes," Meredith moaned and threw her legs over the edge of the bed to stand up. She stopped when she saw Crystal's serious look as she walked inside.

"I need to tell you something," Crystal said, smiling at them. She came and sat in the bed and Alicia ran to sit with her. She welcomed her granddaughter onto her lap with a kiss. "After Holidays I will move into your old apartment," she said, looking at Mark.

"What? Why? What have I done now?" Mark asked, worried.

"You haven't done anything yet," his mother chuckled. "Nothing wrong anyway. I just think you should live on your own as a family. I mean, I will be here anytime you need me to sit with Ally and when the baby will be here I will come and help you with anything you need, but you need to learn how to leave on your own."

"I don't understand," Mark said, confused.

"I will explain it to you," she said. "First of all, any of you can't cook and I think it's time for you to learn. You need to be able to feed your children properly. Secondly, you need to learn how to deal with … your privacy. Be more discreet and offer your children a decent environment."

"So you're leaving us," Mark muttered in disbelief.

"Mark, she's not leaving us," Meredith seemed to have understood. "She wants us to be more responsible."

"That's right," Crystal smiled. "Besides, it's not… cool to live with your mother anymore."

"Mom, are you having an affair with someone?" Mark gasped.

"Mark!" Meredith hissed, slapping his arm.

"I don't have an affair. It's not such a bad idea though. I am still young," Crystal mussed.

"Just introduce me to the loser when you find him," Mark grumbled and got out of bed as his morning with Meredith was over now.

Meredith and Crystal smiled at each other.

In all this time, Alicia stared them. "I don't understand," she muttered.

"Grandma is moving in Daddy's old apartment. The place where you lived before," Crystal explained.

"Why?" Alicia didn't look pleased either.

Crystal smiled and ran her fingers through her hair. "Because you have a family now and that's how a family looks like. But I will live close and we can see each other every day. I just won't be sleeping here anymore."

Alicia sighed, but managed to smile and looked like she understood now. She wrapped her arms around her grandma, smiling. She did have a family now and she liked the way her family looked.


	37. Rainy, but warm

_**N/A: First of all I will start by apologizing for the long absence. I had major trouble bringing this chapter up. I had two other attempts, but I think I succeeded with the third. **_

_**I was going to end this fic with this chapter, but new ideas popped into my head and now I have 2 more chapters to write. I hope you're going to enjoy these last chapters and I will do my best not to let you wait for so many months again. Thank you for all your support.**_

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**Chapter 37 - Rainy, but warm**

Mark ran to the porch, hurrying to shield from the pouring, chill rain.

"Damn rain. Damn Seattle." he muttered under his breath while shaking the rain off his jacket.

Though he had a life here in Seattle now, Mark still didn't get used to its rainy weather, no matter how warm his life had turned in the past months in this sun-deprived city.

As he ran his fingers through his hair and looked out at the door, Mark forgot about the rain and all the things he hated about Seattle. He could never hold back a smile as he came home in the evening and stopped in front of the door. He grabbed the door handle and hurried inside, anxious to see his little girl and his pregnant fiancé. His day had been successful at work today, even amazing, and he wanted to talk about it with his girls, with Meredith in particularly as Alicia wouldn't understand a word.

Mark made a step inside only when he heard his daughter's whimper as she ran to him, calling him desperately, "Daddy! Daddy!"

Alicia tripped over so she stopped to kick off the slipper and pull up her pajamas pants before she picked up her run to her father.

Mark's heart skipped as he saw the serious worry on Alicia's face. He closed the door and knelt down, receiving his girl. Alicia stopped straight into his arms and cuddled there with her new best friend in her arms, a stuffed chipmunk.

"What's wrong, Ally?" Mark asked her, tucking her hair behind the ears.

Alicia pulled back to be able to look at him and sniffed as she frowned. "Mommy's upset."

"What?" Mark asked her, confused. Just then, as he looked up and listened, he heard some muffled shouts coming from upstairs.

"Why is she upset?" he asked Alicia, already standing up and ready to go and check on Meredith.

Alicia held on his hand as she tried to keep up the pace with him. Doughnut came to greet him, but Mark just hissed at him, so the dog whimpered apologetically and stepped aside.

"You know what?" they heard Meredith yelling at someone. "There ain't going to be any wedding!" then the sound of a slammed door was heard.

"Now there's no need for you to snap at me, Meredith!" Izzie seemed to be the one who had a fight with Meredith. "It wasn't me who pushed the wedding date so many times."

"Daddy," Alicia whispered as she looked up at her father as if he could explain what was happening.

Mark wasn't sure what all was about, but he could make an idea, besides, whatever was going wrong, was upsetting Meredith seriously. Hearing her calling the wedding off was as serious matter. He bent down to Alicia and smiled reassuringly. "Why don't you go play with Doughnut?"

Alicia looked worried at him. "And Mommy?"

"I will take care of her. Don't worry," Mark reassured her and spun her around, urging her to go and do something else; just not to assist to what was coming next.

He angrily climbed up the stairs and found his mother in front of the bathroom door, trying to convince Meredith to come outside. Until he reached upstairs, Izzie had left into their bedroom, where probably Derek's sister and mother were too.

Their wedding was now 4 days ahead and the preparations were supposed to get to the end. Some of the guests were due to arrive to Seattle in the following days, but at Meredith's plea, they were going to sleep over at Archfield. As far as he knew, today was the day when Meredith was supposed to receive her dress, so Mark could easily take a guess on what the issue was.

"Go and do something else," Mark said dryly to his mother as he grabbed the door handle.

Crystal didn't argue and stepped back, letting Mark calm Meredith down. As he tried to open the door, Mark found it locked.

"Leave me alone!" Meredith shouted from inside.

"Meredith," Mark answered and knocked once. He listened at the door and could hear Meredith's uneven breathing. "Let me in, Mer," he asked softly.

Mark heard her struggle and soon she was opening the door. Mark walked inside slowly while Meredith walked back to the bathtub, sliding down against it, probably where she had stood so far. Mark closed the door quietly and walked over to the place where she folded her hands in her lap and started sobbing. He put his arm around her shoulders and gently pulled her to him.

"It's my fault," Meredith muttered with hoarse voice, sniffing. "Now I have no wedding dress."

Mark pushed the hair out of her face. "Mer…"

"You know what pisses me off the most?" Meredith continued and looked up at him. "The fact that I have to follow their plan. I don't like their plan and this is my wedding, not theirs. It's ours. You said you didn't care about the wedding so much; what I wear, what you wear. I don't care either."

"Meredith," Mark took her hand and looked into her eyes. "Before we solve this, I want you to calm down. Don't let the blood pressure go too high." He comfortingly rubbed her arm as she slowly started calming down.

She repositioned herself down on the bathroom floor and leaned her body against him, wrapping her arms around her 8 month pregnant bump. "He has been kicking all morning," she muttered. "I think he's calmer now."

Mark chuckled as he gently put a hand on her baby bump. "I bet he was yelling at the bunch of crazy women to shut the hell up and let him sleep."

Meredith managed to smile. She let out a sigh and put her head down on his shoulder. "4 more weeks and a half."

Mark nodded and couldn't hold the huge smile. "It's been quite a ride."

"Long," Meredith sighed.

Throughout the pregnancy Meredith had to take time off many times as the stress and fatigue were causing her blood pressure ran too high and cause distress to the baby. She was on maternity leave now, but there was still no sign of peace and quiet as the wedding was due in a few days only.

This was a moment of peace and quiet; a moment Meredith needed the most. She closed her eyes and just listened to Mark's breathing against her forehead.

Her eyes snapped opened and Mark was about to shout when they heard the door handle moving. Before Mark could say anything, Doughnut came running inside, closely followed by a very worried Alicia.

Mark smiled at her. "Close the door and come here."

Alicia did as her father had told her to do and then turned and looked at them, worried. She couldn't understand why they were sitting on the bathroom floor. Her eyes lingered on Meredith as she suspected she could be sick.

"Come and sit with us," Mark told her, holding his hand out for her.

Doughnut laid down and put his head on Meredith's lap, while Alicia came and sat down between her parents. As no one seemed to do or say anything there, Alicia stood confused and peeked at each of them from the corner of her eyes, waiting.

Alicia could bear the silence a minute only. She let out a sigh and looked at Meredith and then at Mark as she asked, "What do we do?"

Meredith and Mark started laughing.

"We sit," Mark answered.

Alicia frowned, still confused. "Ok," she nodded.

She stood like that for another few seconds and then she looked back at Mark. "Why?"

"Because it's quiet here," he answered.

Alicia still wasn't completely clear with what was going on, but she looked resigned with it. She looked at Meredith with sad eyes and asked quietly, "Are you sick?"

Meredith smiled her at her and stroked her cheek. "I am just a little bit tired."

Alicia nodded her head as she stated knowingly. "I sleep when I am tired and then, when I wake up, I feel a little sleepy but it goes away quickly. Do you want a cookie?"

Meredith giggled at Alicia's cute concern. "I am fine."

"We'll just hide for a little while here," Mark said.

Alicia turned and looked at him, confused. "From whom?"

"Didn't you see the witches?" he asked her.

Alicia's eyes grew huge with horror and put her hand to her mouth as she gasped. "Witches?" she asked in a trembling whisper and grabbed her Daddy's hand.

"Mark," Meredith scolded, laughing. "One of them is your mother."

Mark rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Those nasty women that were upsetting your mother when I came home," Mark explained to Alicia.

Alicia was staring at him now. She turned and looked at Meredith, asking, "He speaks ugly about grandma?"

Meredith nodded, hardly fighting back a laugh. Of course Alicia wouldn't allow having her grandma mocked. She furrowed her brows and her eyes shot glares to her father, "You're a bad boy."

Mark chuckled and smirked at her, "I've been told that before. Tell me something new."

"Grandma says…" Alicia started lecturing in a very serious, adult-like manner. "Children have to be nice with parents. I am nice with you," she pointed out.

"Except for the times when you call me a bad boy or silly daddy, or silly or however names you have given me and I don't know about," Mark replied.

Meredith had to admit she was feeling much better now. She always found amusing the little taunt between father and daughter, especially when Alicia was right. Meredith didn't know anything about Alicia's birth mother, but she could see part of Mark's temper in Alicia's; she was as stubborn as he was and she always had the right replies as he had.

"Ok, that's enough," Meredith cut in. They were funny, but one of them could also become rude to the other.

Both of them took deep breaths and calmed down, smiling more relaxed now.

"We play hide and seek?" Alicia asked excitedly, clapping her hands.

Doughnut stirred and looked up at Alicia's clap, ready to react if it was necessary.

"We don't play hide and seek," Mark answered. "We need to solve the problem with have with the wedding," he explained and looked at Meredith. "What's the matter?"

Meredith sighed and leaned against the bathtub, surrounding her bump with her arms. "The wedding dress is not fitting me anymore," she muttered. She took a deep breath and looked at Mark, "I know you don't care about the dress and party and… I don't think I care anymore either. It's too stressing. Why people get this complicated with their weddings? I mean, the ceremony is the most important. You sign a paper and you change your last name. I don't understand…"

Mark silenced her as he put a finger against her lips and smiled. "You say you don't care about the party." Meredith shook her head. Mark thought for a moment and then concluded, "You don't even know half of the guests." Meredith nodded. Mark let his finger slip from her lips. "What do you say if we take two witnesses and Alicia and we try to get an appointment to the city hall sooner than the wedding day?"

As he asked her that, Mark could see Meredith was thrilled with the idea. "What about the wedding dress?"

"You can throw it away and find a pregnancy dress," he shrugged. "You'd look great in a night gown too."

Meredith giggled, visibly flattered with Mark's compliment. "I like my wedding dress, but being pregnant and with its design…" she sighed. "I look like… a planet in this dress."

As she looked up at Mark, Meredith saw his face red, crumpling as he was holding back a laugh. Meredith giggled and slapped him playfully. Mark finally burst loudly into laugh and pulled her into his arms. "No mother of my children looks like a planet."

Innocently, not understanding them very well, Alicia stated, "You look like a mommy."

"You tell her that," Mark chuckled and pulled his daughter into his arms as well. He kissed each of them on the forehead and then pulled Alicia away to be able to look at her. "What do you say if we don't have a party for the wedding?"

No party? Alicia mused. She didn't like that idea so much. She had been looking forward to spending time with her cousins and wearing the beautiful dress Meredith had chosen for her.

Mark could easily read her. "Your birthday will come in two months and we could have small party then. Then, after your brother is born and he will be old enough to travel, we'll fly to New York and visit your cousins." Alicia smiled, but she wasn't entirely comforted with that. "Meredith isn't feeling very well and the wedding party could make her feel even worse. We don't want her to get sick, do we?" This kind of emotional blackmail would always work with Alicia and Mark knew it very well.

"I don't want to," Alicia smiled reassuringly at Meredith.

Meredith felt pity for Alicia. She didn't want to disappoint her. "Mark," Meredith wanted to ask him, but he anticipated it and shook his head.

"She understands perfectly and she's not disappointed," he said, stroking Alicia's hair. "Right, Ally?"

"I am not," Alicia smiled.

"Besides," he added. "With no party going on and with the cake already paid, who do you think will eat it?"

Alicia gasped excitedly.

"See?" Mark laughed. "Problem solved. God I am good," he sighed proudly.

"Ok, if you're this good, then are you sure you can get an appointment to the city hall?" Meredith asked him.

Mark smirked at her. "Didn't you see my previous blackmail?" he asked, tilting his head to Alicia.

"What if it won't work?"

"You don't have to worry about anything. I assure you I can get an appointment. Trust me."

Meredith looked doubtfully at him. "You're not going to get to jail after this, are you?"

Mark laughed and shook his head. "I promise."

Meredith had to admit that his confidence was defending. "What witnesses are we going to take? I want Cristina."

"And I want Derek. Another problem solved."

"How about your mother, Mark? She's been waiting for this wedding since the day you were born," she pointed out.

Mark rolled his eyes dramatically. "I could ask my mother to come."

"What will everyone else say? Won't they be mad?" Meredith asked then.

"Do you care?"

Meredith shrugged, not very sure.

Mark groaned at her answer. "You have to think very well what you want, Meredith. Either we go on with the preparations for the wedding or we just go to the city hall and get married. I am up to whatever you choose. But, I don't want to hear complaints later."

Meredith would have liked to have her other friends with her; George, Izzie, even Alex and Dr. Bailey. Those were like family to her. "Maybe we'll have a small gathering one day."

Mark smiled and nodded. "We could arrange something. As for what people will say… They don't have to know," he stated. "We can tell them the next day after we got married."

"What if you're mom doesn't agree with it?"

Mark briefly closed his eyes and suppressed a groan. "Then she's not invited. Although I don't think she will disagree. Much."

Mark took Meredith's hand intertwined his fingers with hers. "So?"

Meredith smiled and nodded. "Ok. Let's do it."

Mark turned and looked at Alicia. "Al, this is secret plan. None has to find out about it. Are we clear?" he asked her and drew an imaginary zipper across his lips.

Alicia knew what that gesture meant already. She smiled mischievously and nodded as she did the same.

"My a… bottom is numb," Mark winced, correcting his language, as he stood up. "Are we good to go outside now?" he asked Meredith, but not really expecting an answer as he was holding his hand out for her.

Meredith bit her lip and smiled apologetically at him. "Can't we sit a little bit longer?"

"On the bathroom floor?" Mark smiled, less excited. "Nice. Fun," he grumbled as he took his seat back down on the floor.

Meredith giggled as she scooted closer to him and wrapped her arms around his. Mark kissed the top of her head and soon gave up on his grumpiness.

"Ok, so what are we going to do on the bathroom floor?" he asked. "I have some ideas, but Ally needs to go."

"I don't want to go," Alicia whimpered.

"She doesn't want to go, so my ideas failed," Mark chuckled. "So?" he asked Meredith.

"I don't know," Meredith giggled. "We sit and hide here."

"Are we hiding in the bathroom in our own house?" Mark asked, making a face.

"We just sit here together, Mark," Meredith said. "It's a nice bathroom," she mused as she looked around. She giggled when she saw Mark's worried face.

Doughnut lifted his head as if something had disturbed him, and smelled Meredith's baby bump, bringing his muzzle closer to it. He suddenly jumped up and became more alert. He leaned his head down and his muzzle started patting Meredith's baby bump.

Alicia and Mark were looking curiously at the dog, Mark being ready to shoo him away from Meredith. Meredith giggled and made them a sign to stay still and quiet.

Doughnut didn't seem to be able to calm down until he didn't solve the mystery. He started smelling Meredith's bump all around until Meredith burst into laugh and took his head between her hands, playing with his ears.

"There's a baby in there, Doughnut," she told him and then turned to the others. "He felt the baby's kicks."

"And that's a reason to behave this creepy?" Mark frowned.

"Leave him alone," Meredith rolled her eyes. She put a hand on her baby bump and told Doughnut, "The baby went back to sleep now."

Doughnut smelled Meredith's bump again and as nothing was coming from there anymore, he laid down and put his head back on her lap.

"Seriously now, what are we going to do on the bathroom floor?" Mark asked Meredith.

"Let's talk about Alicia's day," she suggested and smiled at Alicia as she twisted a lock of her hair around her finger. "How was your day at kindergarten, Ally?"

Alicia just shrugged, letting them know that nothing from her day deserved to be related.

Mark was about to protest when Doughnut stood up again. This time, he turned and watched the door, so the others knew someone was coming.

The door opened indeed and Crystal sneaked her head inside, a little surprised to find everyone sitting on the bathroom floor. She knew Mark's temper, so she hesitated before she quietly asked, "Is everything alright here?"

"Yes," Meredith smiled reassuringly.

"We sit," Alicia cleared that out. "We hide from the witches," she stated innocently, forgetting that the term of 'witch' had been used rudely by her father.

Crystal though didn't have trouble understanding which the witches were. She shook her head disappointingly as she looked at Mark.

"Do you need anything?" she asked them. "Blanket, pillows, something to eat?"

"Something to eat," Alicia smiled.

Everyone laughed while Alicia looked frustrated at them, not understanding what was so funny.

"We're good here," Mark nodded. "We're not planning on sitting here all night."

"Ok," Crystal whispered and pulled her head back, closing the door.

Alicia stood up and walked at Meredith's side, bending to her ear and whispering, "I need to pee."

Meredith giggled and pointed to the toilet, "I think you know where it is."

Alicia looked at Meredith, now and then glancing at Mark.

"What is it?" he asked them.

"She needs to pee," Meredith answered.

Same as Meredith, Mark pointed to the toilet. "It's right behind you."

But finding the toilet didn't seem to be Alicia's real problem. She was staring at her father now, expecting. Mark and Meredith looked at each other, confused.

"You can't stay," Alicia finally muttered.

"What? Why?" Mark asked, even more confused.

Meredith was the first one who understood. "Are you ashamed of your father?" she giggled.

Alicia glared at her, but nodded her head.

Mark was staring at his daughter, dumbfounded. "But I gave you a bath last night and you didn't look shy."

"Daddy," Alicia whimpered.

Mark looked at Meredith as if he wanted to make sure that he wasn't imagining things.

"Maybe it's just a phase," Meredith giggled. "Help me up," she propped her hand against Mark's as he wrapped an arm around her and helped her stand up.

"Where this phase showed up from?" Mark grumbled, glancing with a glare at his daughter. Alicia was getting impatiently as Mark was late to leave the bathroom. He held his arm around Meredith as they walked to the door, but he stopped and stopped Meredith too. "Are you going to pee your pants if we don't leave?"

"Mark," Meredith scolded and opened the door, pushing him outside. "She's growing up, Mark. You should get used to this idea."

"She's not even five yet," Mark grumbled. "Go and lay down. I don't want to see you wandering all over the house. You need rest," he said and walked her to their bedroom, opening the door for her. He switched the lights on and didn't let her go until he took her to the bed and helped her lay down. "Do you need anything?"

"Will you join me soon?"

"What do you want me to bring?" he smiled.

"Ice cream, Ally and the Snow White Dvd," she answered. Mark frowned. He had expected to something else, something that required privacy. Meredith giggled. "Maybe after Ally goes to bed," she answered, knowing what he was thinking. "But you know we have to be careful with my blood pressure."

Mark chuckled. "Is sex all you can think about?"

"Like you aren't," Meredith laughed, pinching his hand.

"Me? Never," he acted innocent, but his cocky smile soon betrayed him. He kissed her hand and then leaned down and dropped a kiss on her forehead too. "It will worth the waiting. By all its meanings. I am going downstairs and see if I can shoo those women out of our house. Call me if you need anything," he said and brought Meredith's mobile phone closer to her on the nightstand.

Meredith nodded, so Mark stood up and turned the lights off as he walked out of the room. Alicia could still be heard in the bathroom, talking to Doughnut. He rolled his eyes and shook his head before he headed down the stairs.

Mark heard voices coming from the kitchen and the rage he had felt when he came home returned and ran through his system. He stomped into the kitchen and everyone went quiet.

His mother, Izzie, Derek's mother Crystal and his sister Clara, and Cristina were sitting around the table. Mark took a deep breath, and surprisingly, he kept his voice calm. "I don't know what's wrong with you people. You know very well about Meredith's condition and you keep stressing her with the wedding and the wedding dress. If Meredith didn't need me when I came home, I would have thrown you out myself. Now, I am just going to ask you to leave the house. Quietly. It's late and we're all tired of you."

"I tried to…" Cristina wanted to excuse herself, but Mark cringed and held his hand up.

"I am very disappointed of you," he said. He looked at the women and waited.

Everyone started standing up, muttering something under their breaths.

"I said quietly," Mark reminded them. "You stay," he told Cristina, grabbing her by the arm.

"Why?" Cristina wanted to pull her hand back, panicked.

"Just stay and wait," he said dryly. He let go of her arm and walked the others to the door.

His mother stopped and smiled at him as she whispered, "That wasn't so rude. Congratulations."

Mark chuckled and kissed his mother on the forehead. "I will talk to you in the morning. Get some rest."

With all the unwelcomed guests gone, Mark returned in the kitchen, where Cristina was impatiently waiting for Mark to come and explain her why he had retained her. The front door opened and soon Derek showed up in the kitchen as well.

"Why was my sister ready to kill someone?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Because they failed in killing Meredith," Mark rolled his eyes. He took two beers out of the refrigerator and put them on the table for Derek and Cristina. Derek said he wasn't going to drink, so Mark opened it for himself. "I talked to Meredith about the wedding and we changed the plans a little," he told them when they were all sitting around the table.

Mark was interrupted as Doughnut ran inside, closely followed by Alicia. Mark picked her up and put her onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her.

"Meri is snoring," she whispered to him, giggling.

Mark chuckled and kissed her. "We want to call off the wedding," he went on telling Derek and Cristina about his plan.

"Again?" Derek asked, surprised. "Mark, the wedding is only four days away."

"But…" Mark cut him off. "We are going to get married earlier. Hopefully tomorrow at the city hall."

Cristina and Derek looked at each other, confused at first.

"Meredith agreed with it?" Cristina asked him.

"Yes. I just need to get an appointment. You two are going to be our witnesses. Also, we want to keep this secret from the rest of the guests."

"How about your mother?" Derek asked him.

"I will tell her tomorrow," Mark answered. "This wedding puts too much pressure on Meredith and she doesn't need it."

"That sounds more like Meredith," Cristina sighed with relief. "Izzie had poisoned her brain with her ideas."

"Cristina, I need you to come with me in the morning and find a dress for Meredith. She says she doesn't care much about it, but a little she does. And Derek, I want you to go and pick up the rings from the jewelry store. We were supposed to take them tomorrow anyway. In the meantime I will call for a limo."

"And my dress, daddy," Alicia reminded him.

"What about your dress?" he asked her.

"Izzie has it," Cristina answered for Alicia.

"Can you retrieve it by noon?" Mark asked.

"Can you fix my face afterwards?" she asked back.

Mark smirked at her. "You won't recognize yourself."

Cristina rolled her eyes and stood up. "Can I be excused now? I am about to have an aneurysm in my brain."

"You can go," Mark chuckled.

Derek stood up as well. "I am going to go too then. It looks like you need rest here." He bent down to Alicia and kissed the top of her head. "You don't need to walk us to the door." he stopped in the doorway and said to Mark, "Are you sure this is what you want?"

"Very sure. I know your mom and sisters are involved in this but..."

"I know," Derek smiled reassuringly. "Is your wedding after all. Good night, Mark, Ally."

"Bye, Deri!" Alicia waved at him.

Left alone, Alicia cuddled into her father's arms, putting her head on his chest. "Why doesn't it rain so much here, Daddy? Lucy said it rains when the sky is crying. Why is the sky crying?"

Mark dropped a kiss on her cheek and hugged her tighter. "Maybe there are many sad people in this city."

"I am not sad," she stated, turning to look at her father. "I am happy."

Mark smiled at her. "What do you say if we take Meredith, the baby and grandma and go back to New York?"

The look on Alicia's face as he suggested that surprised Mark. She didn't look happy at all with the idea. She started shifting in his lap and avoiding to look at him.

Mark sighed and smiled as he kissed her. "You already have a life here. We have a life here already."

He didn't like the rainy Seattle, but he had to admit that he liked the life he had there.

"What do you say if we take the rain coats and take Doughnut out for a short walk in the garden?" Mark suggested.

"But Daddy, it's raining and I am not allowed outside in the rain," she sounded like she was scolding him.

Mark smiled and put her down. "I know, but it's summer and warm outside and we're taking the raincoats with us. This way we give Meri time to wake up so that we can eat ice cream and watch Snow White together."

Alicia was child though and Mark's plan would have loved to any child. "I'll put the shoes on!" she shouted, running out of the kitchen.

Mark chuckled smugly. Yes, rainy, but warm. He really liked his new life in Seattle.


	38. Today is today

_**Chapter 38 - Today is today**_

Alicia slowly started opening her eyes, adjusting them to the dim light of the dawn. She rubbed the back of her hands against her eyes and let out a yawn before she stood up.

Doughnut, sleeping beside her in bed, lifted its head and looked at Alicia.

"It's today now," Alicia told him with a smile.

She rubbed her eyes again and looked out the window. As she was waking more, the smile was growing bigger on her face. Alicia crawled out of the quilt to the edge of the bed, muttering, "It's today now."

Landing on the floor, she swiftly slipped her feet in her slippers and ran out of the room with Doughnut on her tail. She crossed the hall and stopped in front of her parents' bedroom door. She smiled and grabbed the doorknob with her hands, twisting it quietly and entering the room. From there, Alicia ran to the big bed, grabbed two full hands of the blanket and crawled up in bed.

Her presence was immediately noticed by her father, who rolled onto his back, moaning. "Go to sleep, Al."

Alicia smiled and made herself room between Mark and Meredith, patting her father's stomach. "It's today."

"Hmm," Mark sighed sleepily. "What's today?"

"Today. Today is today," Alicia answered casually.

"Ok, but what's today?" Mark groaned, irritated with the disturbance at that early hour.

"Today is today," Meredith replied crankily as Alicia and Mark's odd chat woke her up.

Mark rolled over, facing Alicia, and grabbed her by a leg as he pulled her down beside him. "Go back to sleep. You're dreaming."

Alicia giggled and rolled over to face her father too. She grabbed his nose and laughed. "I am not dreaming. I am not sleeping."

"Yes you are," Mark protested and grabbed her hand off his face.

"No," she laughed, more amused now. "You're sleeping. I am not."

"Then go back to sleep," he groaned.

"We have to go. Today is today."

Meredith groaned too and turned her face away from them. "Make her go away," she grumbled.

"Go away, Al," replied sleepily, still holding his eyes closed.

"Today is today…" Alicia stopped briefly as Meredith groaned again at that expression. "When we go shopping for dress. That's what you said yesterday," she remembered him the conversation they had had on the bathroom floor two days before.

Mark opened one eye and looked up to see outside the window. He let his head fall back on pillow. "It's not even light outside. There's no sun on the sky."

Alicia struggled to sit up and looked out the window as well. She turned and looked down at her Daddy then, saying, "It always rains. It's never sun. But it's today, Daddy."

Mark opened his eyes and gave a stern look to his daughter. "As you can see, Meredith and I are still sleepy. Please go and do something in your room or stay here and go back to sleep."

Alicia stared at him for a moment as she considered her options. She crawled over Mark and then off the bed, saying, "I am going to do something… in my room," she hopped down and motioned for the dog to follow her outside.

Pleased with the result, Mark scooted closer to Meredith and brought her into his arms.

"Thanks," Meredith moaned sleepily.

Mark placed a kiss on her cheek and rested his forehead against her cheek as he drifted back to sleep.

-----

With no alarm set, Mark was lucky he had the day off from work. The sun was shining brightly on the sky, sinking the room into a blindly light as well. He rubbed his eyes and rolled over, checking the time. It was half past 9 already. Closing his eyes back, his thoughts drifted to Alicia immediately. She must have been by herself for at least 3 hours already. Then he knew he had to wake up too. Besides, today was today- as Alicia had repetitively told him earlier- and he had a lot of things to do.

Meredith felt the mattress shifting and heard Mark's panting as he stood up. She moaned sleepily and opened her eyes, to see him sitting at the edge of the bed, rubbing his eyes and banishing the sleep.

"I thought you said you have the day off today," she whimpered.

Mark looked back, smirking at her. "Do I have to remind you the plan we made?"

Meredith giggled and shook her head.

Mark leaned to her and kissed her softly on the lips. "You can stay in bed the whole morning. I am taking Ally for dress shopping. Would you prefer a certain design?"

"No. Besides, if you take Ally, I have faith she will choose a pretty and expensive dress," she answered with a giggle.

"I have no doubt," Mark chuckled.

"Feed her before you leave."

Mark dramatically rolled his eyes. "When did I starve her? And since when are you telling me what to do with my daughter?" he replied, trying to sound as sharp as months ago when they first met.

Meredith smiled at him. "Since the day you met me."

Mark chuckled and leaned down for a kiss. He stood up from the bed and trailed into the bathroom.

He came outside a few minutes later, freshly showered. He was surprised to find Meredith still awake, rolled onto her side and watching down her baby bump.

"He's kicking like crazy this morning," she said, circling the bump with her hand. "I don't even know what position to lie on to satisfy him."

Mark walked over to her and lay down beside her. He put his hand on her belly and started caressing it gently before he put his ear down and listened. "There. He's calm down," he looked up at Meredith, grinning.

"You're good at about anything, huh?" Meredith giggled.

"Hmm," Mark pretended to think, "No."

Meredith laughed and answered, "You're damn honest."

"Always," he grinned against her lips and kissed her. "I am going to check on Ally."

"Ok," she nodded and looked a little confused as Mark picked up one of the pillows and looked like he was going to leave the room with it. "What are you doing with the pillow?"

"I am going to buy an 8 month pregnant wedding dress," Mark answered, stepping out of the room.

After he had Alicia ready, Mark buckled her in the backseat of his car, placing the pillow beside her, and drove to pick up Cristina.

Cristina and Mark didn't have much to talk about; or they did have, but Mark never looked willing to talk about medicine with residents, unless the resident was Meredith; therefore, there was not even the slightest sign of friendship between her and Mark. She stood quiet at his right as he drove to the bridal store, hoping that everything would be over soon.

"Are always this unfriendly?" Mark asked.

"Excuse me?"

"You're not very sociable," he pointed out.

Cristina laughed sarcastically. "What's your definition for sociable? You're definitely not suitable for an example."

Mark kept looking ahead, paying attention to road, but smiled to himself. "Can I make you a confession?"

That had Cristina's interest. Mark Sloan confessing to someone else besides Meredith and Alicia was something unimaginable. "As long as you're not going to confess a murder," Cristina replied with a shrug.

"You're very straight with people. You always voice the cruel truth," Mark confessed. "Just like Meredith. Actually, not exactly like Meredith because she doesn't sound as bitter as you."

Cristina smiled at him, having a slight idea of what his confession was about. "You're saying that if you hadn't met Meredith before me, you'd have had a chance with me?"

"What? No," Mark denied firmly. "Besides, you'd have had a chance with me and not me with you. Now don't make any illusions because I am not planning on having you as mistress," he replied sharply.

Cristina shrugged her shoulders. "That's what you let me know with your confession."

"Then you're not as smart as I thought you were," he rolled his eyes. "What I was trying to confess was how much I appreciate sincerity to a person. I can't say anything to you because apparently you have a secret crush on me."

As Mark sounded very convinced of his own words, Cristina was staring at him in disbelief. "I do not. Do you want to know why I don't like you?"

"Not really."

But Cristina continued anyway, "Because you like yourself too much."

"Liking your own person is the base of self-confidence," Mark pointed out.

Cristina agreed with him, partially, and from there the conversation continued on the same theme, ending with the conclusion that they could like each other and they could be friends.

Once arrived at a bridal store that Cristina knew, she had the surprise to find out why Mark had taken a pillow with him.

"I need to buy dress for an 8 month pregnant," he pointed out.

Then it clicked to Cristina. "There's no way I am going to put a pillow under the dress and look pregnant."

"There is a way," Alicia cut in, very helpful. "I'll show you," she nodded at Cristina.

"See?" Mark chuckled. "Even a 5 year old can figure out how to do it."

Cristina was standing the middle of the parking lot, looking at them in disbelief. "But…" she wanted to protest.

Mark stopped and looked back at her. "Are you going to help Meredith or not?"

Cristina let out a resigned sigh and trailed after them, entering the store. In there, Mark and Cristina felt lost. Alicia, on the other hand, felt like she was living a dream with all those beautiful princess dresses.

Mark took a look at a few dresses but he could not make a choice as everything looked the same to him without a model. He started picking dresses randomly and made Cristina try each of them.

Alicia had a blast as she watched Cristina modeling. She laughed each time a dress looked funny on Cristina and gasped excitedly when she liked one. Mark tried to guide himself in choosing a dress with Alicia's opinion, but each time Alicia gasped at the sight of a dress and Mark asked her if they should buy that one, Alicia shook her head, saying no. Only after Cristina tried fifteen dresses, they understood why Alicia wasn't choosing one. She wanted to see as many dresses as possible.

Cristina put her foot down when she had enough. She pulled the pillow out and threw it down. "Did you bring me here to model for you or help you find a dress?" she spat at Mark.

"Both."

"Ok, then let me help you find the dress. I know better than anyone what kind of dress she would like." Cristina walked back in the dressing room and took the dress off, pulling a robe over her. She walked out then and went in the search for a dress. After a minute only she picked three dresses and went to try them all. They were all simple gowns that flew fluidly down the body and around the bump, and one of them had in its color a shade of light pink.

Mark and Alicia voted for the third dress, which was not different by the color only, but also by the thin lines it gave to the body though the women was 8 month pregnant.

They were leaving the store and Mark was ready to take Cristina home when his phone rang. He read Derek's number on the display and swiftly flipped the phone open.

"Are you sticking your plan still?" Derek asked cheerfully.

"I just bought a new dress. I have to call and see if they can receive us at city hall today."

"They can," Derek replied proudly. "Do you remember Dr. Taylor? The neurosurgeon from Mercy West?"

"I might. If he's also mayor at city hall and can marry us today."

"He's not, but apparently he was supposed to get married today. At the city hall."

"He was supposed to?" Mark asked, suddenly enjoying the opportunity.

"His fiancé had an appendicitis crisis this morning and they had to postpone the wedding, so there's a free spot today. I already talked to him and told him to give you their appointment."

"What hour?"

"3:30."

Mark checked his watch. It was already 12:30. "Do you have the rings?"

"I am on my way there," Derek answered.

"I am sending Cristina to bring Alicia's dress and I am picking mom."

"I also called and your marriage license is prepared."

"That's great then. See you soon."

-------------

Crystal and Cristina were in Meredith's room, helping her put the final make up on with Alicia's assistance, while Mark was getting ready in other room with Derek.

Meredith felt extremely tired that day, mostly because the baby was fussing restlessly. When she couldn't hold on her feet any longer, she took a seat down in a chair despite Crystal's protest to keep the dress neat. Meredith wrapped both arms around her baby bump and closed her eyes as she took deep breaths.

"He's more nervous than me," she sighed.

"The whole wedding put a lot of pressure on you two, but now it's about to end and everything will calm down," Crystal reassured her.

Meredith smiled gratefully. Since the day she met her, Meredith found great support in Mark's mom.

Meredith started rambling, "I know this will sound bad and you will make a bad impression of me. I totally agree with you, because you're right, and maybe it's just a craving of mine, but…" she took a deep breath and bit her lip.

"You're hungry," Cristina concluded.

Meredith shook her head, still biting her lip guiltily. "But I think I'd like to have Izzie with me the day I get married," she confessed quietly. "George too."

Crystal and Cristina sighed in unison.

"Izzie has her dress prepared, but she and George are at hospital."

"Can't you page them?" Meredith asked her friend.

"Izzie will torture you for this, later on. She won't forget," Cristina warned her before she walked out of the room to go and see if she could track their friends down and call them at the wedding.

"I am glad you changed your mind," Crystal encouraged her. "They're like family to you."

Meredith looked up at her and nodded. "Do you think Derek's mom can be ready in less than an hour?"

Crystal chuckled and shook her head. "I'll try, but you know, you can still change your mind and have a proper wedding in the day you first established."

Meredith could see Crystal was only supportive with their rushed wedding, but not thrilled.

"You have a new wedding dress that fits you perfectly and everything else is prepared. There won't be any stress on you, I promise."

Meredith hated herself for it in that moment, but something was telling her not to change the plan again. She answered with a small smile at Crystal's insistence. "I know he's your only child and this is his first wedding, but… I don't know," Meredith sighed. "I want to be over with the formalities and go back to our life. Besides, I have this feeling… I can't explain it, but… I want to do it today."

"Meredith," Crystal kept her smile soft as walked over to her chair and took a seat next to her. "It's just a matter of hours."

Being nearby, Mark overheard the last part from their conversation and burst in, nervous. "Whatever you're trying to do, stop it now!" he demanded to his mother.

"Mark," Crystal wanted to explain.

Mark shook his head. "What we do with our wedding is our decision because it is our wedding. I know it's not what you dreamed of and maybe it's not what Meredith dreamed of either, but this is what I dreamed of; to find a worthy woman for me and for my daughter and considering how I behaved when I first met her, this is more than I ever dared to dream of. Whoever blesses the rings or makes the paper, to us it's just formality. I really hope you can respect our decisions."

There was nothing left for Crystal to comment on that. She wiped the corner of her eyes and smiled as she stood up.

"I'll call Carolyn and see if she can come at the city hall," she told them. "Ally, what are you doing there?" she asked her granddaughter, which was standing in front of the mirror for several minutes already.

Alicia turned around and brought gasps of shock to the audience as she showed them her over-painted pink mouth. "I love pink. This tastes like cherry."

"We can see that," Mark muttered.

"You'd better not have any stain on your dress," Crystal scolded, grabbing her by the hand. "Let's clean this mess off your face, because you look like a clown."

"I don't," Alicia giggled.

Left alone in the room, Mark and Meredith smiled at each other. Mark could see that his previous speech had touched Meredith's eyes as well.

"I guess I don't have to ask you if you wrote your vows," Meredith giggled, wiping the corners of her eyes.

"You wrote that down I hope."

Meredith laughed and shook her head.

"Damn it," Mark grumbled.

"I am not worried," Meredith laughed and held her hand out for him. Mark took her hand and knelt down beside her chair. He took her left hand and caressed the engagement ring. "The baby is more nervous than I am," she said quietly, running her hand around the baby bump.

Mark let go of her hand and placed his hand on the bump. He could feel the baby kicking right against his hand.

"Then we should end with this as soon as possible," he smiled up at Meredith.

Meredith looked into his eyes and stated, "I can't believe I am about to marry you."

Mark narrowed his eyes, "You're saying it as if this is something hard to believe."

Meredith giggled. "And it isn't? Just look back at our relationship when you moved to Seattle. When you got lost in the hospital because you couldn't find the daycare," she added with a laugh.

"Do not exaggerate," Mark pouted. "I was just slightly disorientated because I couldn't find a capable woman to watch Ally for a few minutes."

"With the risk of not being modest… I stayed with her until you came back," Meredith pointed out.

Mark just smiled and took her hands, kissing them.

"It feels like it happened yesterday," Meredith sighed, smiling at the memories.

Mark patted her bump, "Time definitely doesn't stand still."

Alicia ran back inside, grinning. "I am ready. We're ready."

Crystal and Cristina followed her into the room.

"Izzie and George have just left home to get dressed and they will make it at city hall in time," Cristina informed them. "Prepare for Izzie's lecture."

"Carolyn will be there in time too," Crystal nodded.

"Good," Meredith sighed with relief. "Can't we leave now and drive slowly until there?" she asked them.

"Don't worry, I am not changing my mind," Mark chuckled reassuringly.

"You won't, but I might," Meredith teased him. "No, it's just that I can't stand the waiting. I am feeling very claustrophobic."

"Won't you feel claustrophobic in a car?" Cristina asked then.

"There's a park across the Seattle's City Hall," Mark suggested.

Meredith smiled, thrilled with the idea. "The baby needs some fresh air."

"But you're in a wedding gown," Cristina pointed out.

"So what?" Mark retorted. "She will have the groom with her."

---------

Surprisingly, standing in front of the mayor, listening to his lecture about marriage, being minutes away from becoming a married man, Mark felt calmer than ever. Everything felt natural to happen. They were having few people in the room with them, but those were the most important people in their life.

Meredith wasn't calm at all though and Mark could see that by the way she was repetitively shifting her weight from one leg to another and by the drops of sweat that started showing on her forehead.

Apparently, the baby was no longer just kicking; it was trying to come out and therefore, the kicks became contractions and they were impossible for Meredith to stand. She pinched Mark's arm and leaned to his ear, whispering breathlessly, "Can we skip straight to the 'I do's'?"

Mark looked questioningly at her.

"I am in labor," Meredith cried out.

"What?" Mark gasped. Just then he felt chills of overwhelming emotions. "You're not even in term," he muttered, panicked.

"I know," Meredith whimpered, wrapping her baby bump with one arm.

Cristina came by Meredith's side and said to the mayor, "Can we rush it?"

The mayor nodded. He read quickly whatever was left and the 'I do' came quickly as well. Once the rings were on the mayor declare them husband and wife, Meredith collapsed in Mark's arms, unable to stand the pain on her feet.

Mark scooped her up onto his arms, saying as he looked down at Alicia, "Today is today."

----------

**N/A: I chose not to write details about the ceremony, because I don't know exactly how this goes in US and I didn't want to make confusions. I hope you enjoyed it!**


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